Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space
by StarLightMaker17
Summary: Takes place after PMD3. Piplup is needed to save the world again according to Dialga and a mysterious white female Grovyle. Who is this girl and how does she know about Piplup so well? Warning; there is some gore and angst. Some GrovyleXOC and DusknoirXOC
1. Chapter 1: Old Memories and Return

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 1: Old Memories and Return**

Piplup is lying on the sand of the beach and enjoying the tranquility looming over him. He is on his back with his arms behind his head while his round head rests on a smooth rock as he gazes at the beautiful sunset accompanied by bubbles that the Krabby would always blow out. His red and white pokedotted bow and blue feathers blow gently in the summer wind as Piplup continues to watch the sunset.

The small penguin always comes down here to clear his thoughts whenever he feels stressed. However, he also comes here to have good memories of how it all began about a year ago. He smiles as he remembers that this is the exact spot where his adventures began with Chimchar, who is his best friend and team comrade. When he woke up, he was so freaked out about the fact that Pokémon could talk but mostly because he somehow transformed into a Pokémon himself. That question is answered when they were fighting the dark Legendary Darkrai, who reveals himself as the cause behind all the problems; from Piplup's transformation to the world being engulfed in darkness. With the help of his light counterpart Cresselia, Team PokéPals manages to save the world once again from darkness.

Piplup sighs as he thinks about everything that has happened so quickly despite that it is within six months since his first technical death. His thoughts revert to Grovyle, Celebi, and Dusknoir. He and Chimchar are aware that Dusknoir has helped with preventing the future from happening as well, but that doesn't help ease their tension with the ghost Pokémon because of his betrayal. The time master Dialga was kind enough to let the three Pokémon return and stay for a while. This event took place two nights ago and three days after defeating Darkrai…

:)(:

_FLASHBACK- TWO NIGHTS AGO…_

_Piplup and Chimchar are eating dinner in their base, which is still in the mouth of Sharpedo Bluff. They are sitting in front of a campfire eating different kinds of berries. On either side of them are two other Pokémon eating dinner with them, making the four Pokémon form a circle around the fire. _

_One is a simple looking Pikachu that is wearing a green bandana while next to him is a Riolu that wears a plain red bandana. Both look about the same age as Piplup and Chimchar are, but they have a much younger aura within them._

"_So what do you think we should do tomorrow, Piplup?" The Pikachu asks._

_Piplup shrugs as he takes a bite out of his Oran Berry. "I really don't know, Pikachu. We are almost completely done with every mission out there. Not to mention that almost all of the Pokémon in the world are stopping committing crimes, so that makes finding missions harder."_

_This is true; ever since Team PokéPals defeated Darkrai, almost all of the Pokémon have stopped committing crimes and the rate of any thefts or such has dropped incredibly low to the point where there is nothing for anyone to do anymore. Anyone who needs help with something actually starts to take care of their own problems._

"_Well, there's gotta be something we can do. But what?" The Riolu asks._

"_I dunno… we'll think of something, Riolu." Chimchar smiles reassuringly to the blue jackal-like creature sitting next to him and pats him on the back. The Riolu smiles back at the fire monkey, knowing he is right._

_Suddenly a bright light interrupts their conversation and they shield their eyes to avoid going blind. When it disappears after a brief moment, the heroes open their eyes to see that in front of them out of their base from the mouth floating above the sea is…_

"_Holy crap! It's Dialga!" Pikachu cries out, startled. He is so stunned that his mouth speaks out before he could think, and he immediately covers it with both his hands to keep quiet and blushes in embarrassment. Beside him, Riolu looks equally shocked, but after his friend yells he rolled his eyes. Piplup and Chimchar don't pay any attention to them; their focus is completely on Dialga._

_Dialga doesn't seem too focused on the yellow mouse's exclamation either; he is staring intently at Piplup specifically._

"_D-Dialga… what are you doing here?" Piplup manages to call out quietly. It is nighttime and almost everyone is asleep by now, so they have to keep their tones down._

_Dialga says quietly, "I have something to show you and Chimchar, Piplup. But I need you to come down to the beach in order to see it." He then lowers himself down until he isn't seen. The four young Pokémon run towards the mouth edge to see that the time master is landing on the same beach where Chimchar and Piplup first met and then looks up at the four, waiting for them._

_Getting the hint, Piplup nods and says to his friends, "Well, you heard him. Let's go!" He runs up the stairs to head down to the beach with his team following._

:)(:

_Dialga waits patiently for Team PokéPals to arrive and rests in the ocean waves to relax his tense muscles. _

'_**I shouldn't be doing this,'**__ he thinks, __**'but after Piplup and Chimchar saved my life, I owe more to them. Besides, Crystal told me to do this and once she makes her decision it is final. There is absolutely no point into trying to change that girl's mind, being Arceus' child and all…'**__ Dialga is so enthralled with his thoughts that he doesn't even realize the smaller Pokémon are standing in front of him and waiting for him to speak._

_Never being the patient one, Pikachu calls out, "Hey! Arceus to Earth to Dialga! Anyone there!" He waves his arms wildly to try to get the Legendary's attention despite Riolu, Chimchar, and Piplup's protests and restraints to keep him quiet._

_Dialga then blinks after realizing that the heroes are standing in front of him. He shakes his head, which grabs their attention. They all let go of the crazed Pikachu as he straightens himself out._

"_I apologize," Dialga says looking down at the small team. "I was lost in my thoughts."_

_Piplup nods in understanding. Lately he has been doing the same thing every night and couldn't shake off the feeling of emptiness that is developing in him. However, he doubts that Dialga has an empty feeling as well…_

"_Who might these two be?" Dialga asks looking at Riolu and Pikachu with slight curiosity and slight suspicion._

_Chimchar replies, "These are our best recruits and team members, Riolu and Pikachu. We met them in Crystal Cavern after helping them find their jewel and they asked to join us." The two mentioned creatures nod, confirming that is what happened about three months ago right after Team PokéPals graduate from Wigglytuff's Guild._

"_Hmm." Is all Dialga says before turning his attention back to Piplup. "I came here by order of my boss. She requests that you have a chance to speak to Grovyle and Celebi. For what, I do not know."_

_Immediately Piplup and Chimchar's eyes widen as the time master mentions both grass Pokémon that they thought they'd never see again. They feel joy rise in their chests at the thought of seeing their friends again, even if it is temporary. Behind them Riolu and Pikachu glance at each other in confusion, wondering what the Legendary is talking about._

"_But I thought you aren't allowed to do such a thing." Chimchar points out while staring suspiciously at Dialga and raising a brow. "Who exactly told you to do this?"_

_For the first time, the Pokémon see that Dialga looks extremely uncomfortable with the question and actually shifts his eyes all over the area to think of a perfect excuse. Immediately thinking of one, he says quickly, "Let's just say that she is a being of higher status than me and leave it at that."_

'_**She?'**__ Piplup and Chimchar think together wondering who could possibly talk Dialga into disregarding his regulations. In addition, if 'she' could actually make Dialga sound nervous about mentioning her, she must be very powerful and persuasive._

_Deciding that questioning will be pointless and wanting to see his friends again, Piplup says, "All right, Dialga. We would like to see our friends again. But what's the catch?"_

"_Only one," Dialga says sounding relieved that they don't press the discussion further and returns to the main topic. "You have exactly two hours to spend time with each other. After that, don't plan to see each other again for a long time."_

_Piplup and Chimchar's faces immediately fall at this, not expecting such a catch. Dialga and the other two recruits look at the two sympathetically, knowing that the kids are close to Grovyle and that they don't like the thought of leaving him again._

_However, Piplup looks up with a forced smile and says, "OK. That's fine. Any moment seeing Grovyle and Celebi again is good enough for me." Beside him, Chimchar looks up and smiles as well, agreeing with his penguin friend._

"…_Very well then. Wait here for a moment." Dialga says as he stands up to his full height. With an unexpected loud roar, he disappears in a bright light. Everyone shields their eyes from the light, and when the light disappears everyone looks up to find Dialga gone._

"_Where'd he go?" Riolu asks looking around for the Legendary. Beside him, Pikachu does the same, looking completely lost._

"_Knowing him, he's probably in the future getting Grovyle and Celebi." Piplup states while crossing his flippers and looking down. Chimchar looks on ahead, waiting patiently for Dialga to bring their friends back._

:)(:

_MEANWHILE, IN THE FUTURE…_

_Grovyle is sitting on a cliff, lost deep in thought about Piplup and Chimchar. He hopes that they are doing okay without him and is eternally grateful that they have saved the beautiful future that he now lives in._

"_Is everything all right, Grovyle?" A deep voice comes from behind Grovyle, interrupting his thoughts. The green lizard turns to see that Dusknoir is floating towards him, a look of concern crossing his one eye. He stops right beside Grovyle and places a hand on his friend's back._

"_Is everything all right?" the ghost Pokémon repeats. Grovyle nods while trying to assure Dusknoir that he is fine._

"_I'm fine, Dusknoir. I really am." He adds after seeing the disbelieving look the larger Pokémon holds. "I was just thinking about Piplup and Chimchar."_

"_Ah," Dusknoir states while positioning himself to sit next to Grovyle as he relaxes. "Do you want to talk about it?" He offers looking at his friend again. _

_Ever since they have defeated Primal Dialga and were brought back to live in the new future, Grovyle and Dusknoir have developed a stronger bond and now see each other as brothers somewhat. They know almost everything about each other and they trust each other completely._

"_No," Grovyle replies, "I just hope that they're both all right." Dusknoir takes his hand off Grovyle's shoulder and places it at his side._

"_Don't worry, Grovyle. I'm sure that they are fine. After all, if they could stop Primal Dialga then I'm sure that they can take care of themselves." He states with humor in an attempt to make his friend smile._

_Indeed, Grovyle smiles and chuckles at Dusknoir's statement. "True… but I sure do miss them."_

"_Miss who?" An elegant voice speaks out, startling the two Pokémon slightly. They both turn to see a pink Celebi with bright green eyes floating towards them with a huge smile across her face. "Missing __**me**__? Oh, my dear Grovyle! I had no idea that you love me that much!"_

_Dusknoir laughs as he sees Grovyle's face turn red. The lizard turns to face the open valley in front of him to cover his embarrassment._

_Celebi giggles and floats to Grovyle's other side. "Oh, dear Grovyle. You know that I am just messing with you, right?" She asks._

"_Yeah, I know…" Grovyle shakes away his embarrassment as he looks at the sunset and admires its beauty. Now that things are back to normal, he can watch the sunrise and sunset whenever he likes. "I was just thinking about Piplup and Chimchar."_

"_Oh Grovyle, you silly thing!" Celebi states and floats to face him fully. "You are just being paranoid. I'm sure that they are fine." She pinches his cheek playfully. He gently pushes her hand away, uncomfortable by the obvious flirting._

"_Isn't that what I just said a moment ago…?" Dusknoir cuts in while crossing his arms in a stern and pouting manner. After the past few months, he starts to get the playful side of him to come out and now understands the meaning of teasing, sarcasm, and fun._

"_Yeah…" Grovyle says as he watches Celebi land on his other side. "But I just wish that I could have a chance to see them again and catch up on some things. I never had a chance to talk with them other than about finding Time Gears and getting back to the present."_

"_Me too…" Celebi states knowing that she also barely had the chance to meet the two officially. She was too busy sending them back to the present and she hasn't seen them since._

"_As do I…" Dusknoir agrees. Seeing the two look at him, he continues. "Those two proved themselves worthy and they are good kids. I regret having to deceive them and wish to make it up with them, even if it's only temporary."_

"_So you have wished it, so it shall be…" A deep voice speaks out of nowhere, alarming the three Pokémon and ending the discussion. All three jump up to their feet (flying or floating for Dusknoir and Celebi's cases) and prepare themselves for a fight. There are still some bad Pokémon out there, so the friends always need to be on guard._

_However, they couldn't find the owner of the voice anywhere. They drop their stances and look around cautiously. Suddenly a bright light explodes in front of them, making them shield their eyes. When it clears, they see what looks like a Dimensional Hole hovering over the cliff._

_Dusknoir exclaims, "Be careful! We do not know where that portal can take us! Stay as far away from it as possible!" Grovyle and Celebi nod in acknowledgment and back away. The three continue to look for the owner of the voice as they also glance in slight suspicion at the portal._

_Suddenly, all three heroes feel a rough push on their backs and they find themselves falling straight into the portal. All they could do is scream as they go through the dazzling patterns of the tunnel leading to who knows where. The vortex is so strong that none of the heroes could try to fly out despite their determination. All they can do is allow the portal to send them to what they think is their death…_

:)(:

_BACK TO THE PRESENT…_

_Dialga returns to the present five minutes later. His unexpected return startles Team PokéPals. He moves aside as a Dimensional Hole appears, alarming everyone again._

_After a few seconds, they hear echoing screams coming from the portal. The yells become louder until three figures fly out of the portal, the largest figure landing on the two smaller beings in the process._

"_D-Dusknoir!" Piplup and Chimchar exclaim, backing away as fear covers their expressions. Meanwhile, a voice speaks out from under the slightly dazed Dusknoir and everyone could vaguely make out the words._

"_D-Dusknoir…" The voice heaves as the owner tries to move the heavy Pokémon off itself. "… Get off us… Oy…"_

_Hearing the voice, Dusknoir comes to and exclaims, "Oh, Grovyle and Celebi! I am so sorry! Let me help you both up!" The ghostly creature forces himself to float and reveals a nearly flattened Grovyle and Celebi on the ground. Seeing the two makes Piplup and Chimchar freeze in shock as they could barely believe their eyes._

_Dusknoir holds both Grovyle and Celebi by the shoulders and helps them up to their feet (fly in Celebi's case). The two start to dust sand off themselves as Dusknoir resumes his apology._

"_I am so sorry! I had no control of where I was going to land! I-"_

"_It's fine, Dusknoir. Don't worry about it." Grovyle interrupts his friend and gives him a reassuring look. Celebi does the same before saying, "He's right, Dusknoir. It was an-" She stops in midsentence as she spots Piplup and Chimchar gawking at them. She turns absolutely silent and stares back with eyes wide._

_Soon Grovyle and Dusknoir turn to see what she is looking at and freeze as well, eyes wide as the heroes engage in a starting contest. There is absolute silence between everyone; Pikachu and Riolu are watching in silence with confused and curious looks while Dialga holds a knowing smile and waits for the outcome._

_Soon Piplup breaks the tense silence. "Grovyle!" He cries out running towards the green lizard and giving him the biggest hug he could give. Grovyle kneels down and returns the hug. He is equally happy to see his old friend again._

"_Grovyle!" Chimchar exclaims soon afterward running over to the lizard for a hug. The hugging session continues for a while and during this time everyone keeps watching. Dusknoir and Celebi smile at the sight of their friends reunited. Dusknoir then remembers that Dialga is in the area. He jumps while blurting out, "Master Dialga!"_

_This makes everyone look at him before looking up at Dialga. Grovyle and Celebi look equally surprised to see the Legendary. Their gaze rests on the tall being as they back away in slight fear. Dialga smiles again and says, "Do not fear me, young ones. I am merely here by order of Cry- er… my boss." Dialga changes the ending after catching himself quickly._

_Fortunately, no one hears this part but the heroes nod in understanding regardless. "What does that have to do with us, though?" Dusknoir asks respectfully._

"_Part of the order is to bring you back to see Chimchar and Piplup for two hours straight so that way you can catch up on things. I have simply just granted you your wish. I must go now. Do not take your time together for granted."_

_Dialga then disappears before anyone could say anything. With a flash of light, he is gone._

_There is heavy silence between the seven Pokémon. It stays like that for a while until Pikachu decides to break the ice._

"_Hey…who are these guys?" He points at Grovyle and the other two. His expression is a question mark and beside him Riolu looks equally confused._

"_These are our friends Grovyle and Celebi. You know, the ones we talked about?" Chimchar points at the two grass Pokémon as he tries to refresh the mouse's memory._

_The two creatures stare at the grass Pokémon blankly until Pikachu says, "Oh, that's right! You mean about the thief Grovyle who is actually a good guy and Celebi who has a cr-!" His mouth is immediately covered by Riolu, who glares at the yellow mouse warningly. Apparently he thinks the yellow mouse said too much._

"_We remember." Riolu states with his hand still over Pikachu's mouth. He looks at Grovyle and Celebi curiously as he slowly lets go of the mouse. Then he notices the large ghost behind the two and asks, "And I'm guessing that's Dusknoir?"_

_Piplup and Chimchar nod as they glare at the ghost. They steady themselves to prepare to fight if they have to._

_Dusknoir looks somewhat sad as he holds out both hands to ensure that he means no harm to the heroes. "Please…Piplup and Chimchar… I have changed for the best." He tries to spark something in them but it doesn't work._

"_Yeah, right! Just like we thought you were our friend when you were actually our enemy the whole time months ago!" Chimchar sneers holding up his balled fists as he glares at the ghost Pokémon._

_Dusknoir hesitates before lowering his head in ashamed agreement. It is true; he did use them to avoid changing the future. Plus, he did try to kill them multiple times._

"_Piplup and Chimchar, please listen to what he has to say," Grovyle says, surprising the two. They look at the lizard as if he has lost his mind. Grovyle walks up and stands protectively in front of the ghost as he adds, "He is telling the truth. He helped us defeat Primal Dialga in the future. He has changed for the best. You have no reason to be afraid of him."_

_The two Pokémon look at Grovyle before settling their gazes on Dusknoir, wondering if this is some sort of a joke. Grovyle and Dusknoir merely wait for their responses in anticipation._

_Piplup stares at the ghost Pokémon carefully for a long time. After another moment of silence, he says, "…Okay. If Grovyle has a reason to trust you, then I guess I can too. But I will still keep a sharp watch on you." He and Chimchar give pointed looks to Dusknoir._

_Dusknoir does not expect anything less, so he merely nods. "Thank you. I wouldn't have it any other way."_

_Soon the heroes start to introduce themselves and talk about all their adventures. Chimchar mostly explains what has happened on their encounter with Darkrai._

"_So let me get this straight," Dusknoir says while rubbing where his chin would be thoughtfully. Everyone is sitting in a circle in front of a small campfire made while the heroes share some berries plucked from nearby trees._

"_Your transformation is caused by a Legendary Pokémon named Darkrai, who originally planned to punish Grovyle," Dusknoir points at a surprised Grovyle. "But you took the hit for Grovyle, which results to you losing your memory and transforming into a Pokémon. Darkrai did all of this to create a world of darkness for his own pleasure, but you two and Cresselia defeat him. So now he is somewhere in this planet with his memory gone?"_

"_Yup, that pretty much sums it up." Piplup says taking a bite out of his Oran Berry._

"_And you have no idea how hard it was to take him down." Chimchar adds as he crosses his legs._

"_I just have one question," Celebi states sounding serious, surprising everyone. She is never usually serious. Everyone looks at her._

"_What if he __**didn't**__ lose his memory?" she asks sounding slightly scared. This makes everyone go silent. She has a point; Team PokéPals hasn't seen Darkrai since the incident, and even still they have no proof that he did lose his memory._

_Piplup is about to respond until a bright light flashes before him. Dusknoir, Grovyle, and Celebi turn to see that Dialga has returned._

"_Time is up, young ones. I must take you three back to the future." He addresses to the three Pokémon that are now standing or floating before him._

"_Already?" Grovyle asks looking disappointed. He turns to face his smaller friends and says, "Chimchar, take good care of Piplup again for me. You have done a good job of it so far."_

"_Grovyle, don't go." Piplup rushes over to his friend and hugs him tightly, startling the lizard slightly. He sounds very upset. Behind him, Chimchar looks equally upset while Pikachu and Riolu hold solemn looks._

"_Hey, I'll always be your friend, Piplup," Grovyle hugs Piplup back while smiling weakly. Piplup sniffles before saying, "Okay." He lets go of Grovyle and backs away slowly._

"_It was nice seeing you all again." Piplup says to Dusknoir and Celebi. He looks back at Grovyle's sad smile._

"_Same here. I will miss you all." Celebi says on the verge of crying. Dusknoir holds a grim look as he says, "Indeed. It was nice to see you again."_

_Everyone backs away from each other. The three future beings slowly move to face Dialga and wait for him to do his thing._

_Meanwhile, Dialga looks like he is deep in thought about something. He ignores the heroes' confused looks as he focuses on what he is thinking._

_Actually, he is mentally speaking with another being._

'_**Dialga, I need them to stay for even longer than that.' **__The mysterious voice speaks. It is apparently a female's voice, but there is a hint of annoyance behind the tone._

'_**But you said that they could stay with each other for a temporary time. Now I must take them back.'**__ Dialga says sounding slightly irritated._

'_**I said for a temporary time, not two hours!' **__The female snaps, startling Dialga. Apparently, this girl must be more powerful than he is to scare him. __**'I want those three to stay here for a while. I do not know for how long, but get that part right and tell them that they can stay here until I say otherwise.'**_

_Seeing that it is pointless to argue, Dialga sighs. __**'…Very well, Princess. Your wish is my command.'**__ He is about to end the conversation until the voice speaks up again._

'_**Before you go,' **__the voice speaks and trails off. Dialga waits patiently for the owner to finish. __**'Tell them that I will see them in a few days with an important task. I am going to meet them personally, so make sure that you tell them my name so that way they will know who to look for.'**_

_Dialga raises a brow at this request. He then shrugs and mentally replies, __**'Very well, Crystal.'**_

'_**Good. I will speak with you later.' **__With that, the owner of the voice cuts off the mental link and ends the conversation. Dialga shakes his head and looks down to see that the heroes are giving him strange looks._

"_I apologize, everyone. I was speaking mentally with my boss." Dialga explains. Everyone raises an eyebrow at this statement._

"_Who?" Riolu asks stepping up._

"_She goes by the name of Crystal. She has powers that overlap my own. She told me that you all must stay together for a while. Maybe for days, weeks, months, or possibly even years."_

_The heroes fall silent at this, hardly believing their ears. There is a female being that has more power than Dialga himself? And more importantly, Grovyle, Celebi, and Dusknoir could stay even longer?_

"_Are you serious?" Piplup squeaks betraying a hint of happiness and hope through his tone._

_Dialga nods. He smiles as he sees the heroes cheer and start to hug each other, overjoyed by the sudden change. Pikachu then thinks of something before looking up at Dialga and asking, "Out of curiosity, why does this 'Crystal' want us together in the first place?"_

_Everyone looks at Pikachu and then looks up at Dialga, wondering about this as well. The Legendary replies, "For what, I do not know. However, I will tell you this: she says that she will meet you in person within the next few days with an important task. She could take on any form so pay close attention."_

"_You mean she is a psychic that can transform into anything?" Chimchar asks._

"_Yes. I must take my leave now. It is getting dark. Enjoy your time together, but in the meantime look for any girl who looks noticeably different." With that, Dialga is engulfed in a bright light and disappears, leaving a confused group of Pokémon behind._

_There is slight silence as everyone stares at the spot where Dialga disappeared. Then the heroes look at each other._

"_Well," Chimchar says breaking the moment of silence. "This will make a very nice change. How about we all go to the Guild and show everyone that you three are back? We'll put in a good word for you all to join our team."_

_Grovyle, Celebi, and Dusknoir nod liking the idea. Dusknoir is slightly hesitant but no one blames him. After tricking Piplup and Chimchar in the past, the two heroes must have told everyone in the Guild about what had happened when they were in the future._

"_Don't worry, Dusknoir." Grovyle says patting on Dusknoir's arm reassuringly. "You've got me to help you out."_

"_Yeah, that's true." Dusknoir says as they all start to head towards Treasure Town. He holds a relieved look before it turns into a mock hopeless stare. "I'm doomed."_

"_What?" Grovyle barks, insulted. Dusknoir laughs and says, "See ya!" He flies towards the stairs away from the green lizard, who is chasing after the ghost while shaking a fist in the air. "Get back here Dusknoir! That way I can rip your eye out and stuff it down your skirt so you can watch me kick your ass!" Dusknoir only response is an amused laugh._

_Behind them everyone watches in silence, surprised by how much Dusknoir really did change. He is showing a more fun side of him that seems oxymoronic for the older ghost. But it's a nice change._

"_Men..." Celebi sighs shaking her head. She then chases after the men with the attempt to keep them quiet._

_Pikachu looks like he wants to join in on the fun too, judging by the excited look he holds on his face. Soon he calls out, "HEY! Wait for us!" He begins to chase after the three, running on all four of his tiny paws._

"_Pikachu! Keep quiet! Other people are sleeping around here!" Riolu yells after him, clueless that he is being as equally loud. The blue jackal chases after the yellow mouse and disappears over the stairs._

_Piplup and Chimchar look at each other briefly before deciding what the heck; everyone will definitely be surprised that Chimchar and Piplup's other friends have returned. They would want to be awake to meet them. Therefore, the two heroes decide to join in on the fun._

"_WAIT UP, GUYS!" Chimchar yells as loud as he could while running up the stairs towards the Guild with Piplup slowly following. The penguin vaguely wonders who this 'Crystal' girl is, but he decides that he should worry about it later. He then runs up to join his soon-to-be enlarged team waking the entire town up._

:)(:

"Piplup!" A voice calls out, snapping Piplup out of his memories. He turns his head to see that Celebi and Riolu are running towards him, both waving their arms to grab his attention.

He sits up and smiles at his friends. When they catch up to him, they are out of breath. Holding up a finger for Piplup to wait, Riolu pants and coughs slightly. Soon he regains his posture and stands up straight. He says, "Hey, Piplup. It's nearly time for dinner and the others are waiting for you back at the base."

"And you know how impatient Pikachu is." Celebi adds, her green eyes sparkling in amusement. Piplup laughs as he stands up on his feet, getting an idea of Pikachu no doubt throwing a fit over eating.

"All right. Let's go." He says after he brushes some sand off himself. The other two nod and all three heroes start to head back to the base, Celebi floating on Piplup's left side while Riolu is on his right side. They start a new topic about new technique moves as they walk to their base.

Meanwhile, a pair of gold eyes appears from behind the bushes of the forest close to the beach. The owner watches the three Pokémon walk away while happily chatting to each other. Its eyes are narrowed in a calm and lazy manner. The narrowed pupils in the eyes make the owner look like a lizard.

After watching the heroes disappear, the mysterious being murmurs in a feminine voice, "Very soon, Gavin. Your destiny will be fulfilled." With that said, the eyes disappear with the owner running off into the forest. Her white scales glisten under the sun like diamonds.


	2. Chapter 2: Dimension Scream and Meetings

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 2: Arrangements, Dimensional Scream, and Meetings**

Piplup, Celebi, and Riolu walk towards the roof of Sharpedo Bluff, the sun setting right in front of the base. The heroes stop at the cliff, gazing in awe at the beautiful sight before a familiar voice calls out to them. "Hey, you three! Get in here! I'm hungry and dinner is almost done!" Pikachu's annoyed voice comes out of the lower jaw. The three heroes lower their gazes to see Pikachu placing his hands on his hips in a strict manner as he glares up at them. "Well, c'mon!" He walks away, disappearing behind the rocky fangs.

Rolling his eyes at his silly friend, Riolu mutters, "Always impatient when it comes to food. Well, let's go before he fries us." He heads towards the hidden entrance with Celebi slowly following. Realizing that Piplup isn't moving from his spot, Celebi looks back at him in slight concern. "You coming, Piplup?"

Snapping out of his train of thoughts, Piplup nods and follows the pink Celebi into the cave. When they enter the base, they are greeted by Pikachu, Grovyle, Chimchar, and Dusknoir, who are all setting up a campfire and gathering berries for dinner.

"Ah, Piplup. You're back just in time for dinner." Grovyle comments while placing some wood into the campfire. It is at the center of the room where it would light up and warm the room.

"Where were you?" Chimchar asks while gathering some leaves to use as plates and much larger leaves for seats and later beds. He places them in front of the fireplace, careful not to let them be too close so that they would catch on fire.

"Just on the beach…" Piplup states simply, looking to see if Pikachu needs any help with the Berries at the end side of the cave close to the throat of the Sharpedo figure.

"Thinking about the 'Crystal' girl again?" Dusknoir asks almost knowingly. Though he may not be a telepath, he and the others know that Piplup goes to the beach every time he needs to think about something. Piplup explains that being in the beach always helps clears his thoughts, so the team leaves him in peace. Dusknoir carries a large pile of wood and carefully places the wood close to the wall in case the heroes would need more to keep the fire going.

"Yeah…" Piplup admits rubbing the back of his head in slight bashfulness. He did vaguely wonder who this Crystal character is and what she looks like. To be honest, he is somewhat nervous to meet her.

"Piplup," Pikachu says while taking some Oran, Pecha, Sitrus, and Rawst Berries towards the campfire. It would be enough to satisfy everyone but he has a hard time carrying all of the berries. "Don't worry about it. She sounds like a nice girl in my opinion." Piplup and Riolu go over to help the yellow mouse with the food while Celebi goes to help Grovyle set up the campfire.

"'Nice girl' as in mean, cruel, and rude to your opinion," Riolu mutters just for the sake to start an argument with the mouse. Pikachu just casts a sideways glare at the blue jackal and rolls his eyes while mumbling, "Shut up, Riolu." This earns a satisfied grin from Riolu. Piplup ignores the two as he places one of each different berry in each small plate leaves. Soon Riolu and Pikachu do the same and then sit next to the campfire. The heroes watch Grovyle and Celebi finish up their work and join them to form a circle around the fire. Dusknoir sits next to Grovyle and Celebi once he finishes with the wood.

"OK, Chimchar. You can light it up now." Grovyle nods to the fire monkey, who nods back before letting out an Ember flame that lights up the campfire. Soon dinner is on and the heroes all enjoy their time together. They converse while occasionally watching the sunset transforming into night as stars start to appear in the sky.

:)(:

FOUR HOURS LATER…

It is now ten o'clock by Pokémon standards. Everyone is fast asleep and curled against his or her bed. Some heroes twitch in their sleep, but otherwise they seem perfectly comfortable. The campfire has already died down with some smoke coming out of it briefly. The stars twinkle in the moonlit night, sparkling like diamonds.

Only Piplup isn't asleep; he is lying on his back with his arms behind his head and gazing over the roof to watch the stars glimmer. He has tried very hard to go to sleep but found it difficult to even when no one is snoring. Riolu's jewel treasure that he has kept forever suddenly rolls from its hidden spot and lands onto Piplup's side, poking the penguin slightly.

Piplup picks it up and looks it over curiously. It is a pretty diamond that glimmers in the moonlight and is shaped slightly like a sphere for some reason. Suddenly, Piplup feels dizzy and he immediately realizes why.

'_Aw, no. Another Dimensional Scream…' _He thinks irritably. But knowing that it is out of his control, he lets the Scream reveal its vision. Soon there is darkness and then Piplup sees a new scene.

He and Chimchar are talking to Wigglytuff and Chatot about something until their bosses' attentions are set onto something behind them, making the fire monkey and water penguin turn around. In front of them are three Pokémon that look somewhat strange. On the left side is an Absol who has blue eyes instead of the regular red and has a tint of red on her limbs and fur instead of blue. On the right side is a Misdreavus that is wearing a black bandana around her neck, covering her red-beaded necklace. In the middle seems to be the leader, which is a Grovyle. However, she is a strange looking Grovyle. Instead of having a red stomach leading to her lower jaw and dark green leaves, hers are all pitch black. She also has snow-white skin replacing the usual green. Her head blade is longer than usual and is slightly curled in a feminine style at the tip. She holds a kind smile and alluring gold eyes. Most interestingly, she has a black mark on her forehead shaped like a sphere and on her arms and legs are black flame marks coming up to her upper arms and thighs.

Soon the vision fades as Piplup is about to take a closer look at the Grovyle, and soon his vision goes back into the real world. He pants hard, sweating and placing a hand on his head as he places the jewel next to Riolu. Has he just seen the future? Who are those three Pokémon?

"Piplup…?" Chimchar mutters sleepily while looking over at his friend and seeing him sweating. "You OK…?"

"Yeah…" Piplup pants while forcing himself to nod his head in reassurement. "I'm fine. I just had a bad dream…" He lies, not wanting to explain what he saw to his friend quite yet.

"…If you say so…" Chimchar replies sleepily and turns to his side to fall asleep once more. Piplup looks at his friend briefly before looking down to think over what he had just seen.

'_Have I really just seen the future? Who are those girls? How is this gem related to them in any way? Nothing makes any sense!'_ Piplup mentally groans in frustration. Shaking his head again, he then scolds himself. _'Ugh, thinking about this isn't gonna help me sleep. I had better forget about it until morning. Maybe I can ask the others about what it could mean…'_

To help his situation, Piplup decides to imagine counting Mareep. By the tenth Mareep he falls asleep curling into a ball and smiling in peace.

:)(:

MEANWHILE...

A lone figure passes through the trees of the forest, jumping from branch to branch expertly. It uses Agility to speed up the pace and eventually reaches to a meadow that suspiciously has a large hole at the center. It steps into the moonlight and reveals itself as a female black and white Grovyle. She casually walks towards Luminous Springs and stops near the pond to see a light shining down at the end of the lake.

"You're both late." She says in a smooth tone. She looks a little younger than Grovyle by a year at least. If Pokémon nearby have listened to her, they would have given her strange looks because she seems to be talking to herself.

However, she isn't.

"Sorry, Cryssy." Another feminine voice speaks out. "We got slightly held back." Another voice adds. Soon out of the shadows right behind Crystal, two forms come up and show their true identities as a blue-eyed red-tinted Absol and a Misdreavus with a black bandana.

The Grovyle turns to face her friends and crosses her arms. "It's all right." She states simply, giving both females an encouraging smile. "You both ready for tomorrow?" She asks as she then places her hands on her hips.

"Yup. Dreavus and I have the things we need." The Absol says taking out a satchel that was hanging below her neck. She hands the bag out to the Grovyle, who looks inside curiously. Inside are precious jewels that are worth a generous amount of money. "We took as much of the jewels as possible. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to get even the tiny ones." The Misdreavus muses while smiling in a somewhat amused manner.

The Grovyle chuckles while smiling as she sees the jewels and nods in satisfaction. She takes the small bag and paces the strap around her shoulder, adjusting the sack to rest on her hip. "Good work, you two. I hope that it will be worthwhile…"

"It should. After all, you and the Guild Master have history together! He'll never turn us down!" The Absol states while looking at the white reptile with a smile. Crystal smiles back and says, "Yup. I can't wait to see Wiggly again. The guy's like a father to me. He raised me since I was young and taught me all I know."

No one says anything. Dreavus and Midnight know that Crystal was abandoned since she was a baby, so Wigglytuff took her in as his own. He has trained her to be strong, and when she was old enough she went out to explore the world while training herself to be stronger and helps those in need.

"So, Dreavus and Midnight, you two ready to go head back to the Guild?" Crystal looks at her two friends with a smile. They smile back and place their hand/paw in front of them while Crystal returns the gesture. "Of course. You also said that you need to do something else. What might that be?" Dreavus asks looking at her friend.

Crystal shrugs casually and replies, "Just some personal business. Don't worry about it." The girls decide not to press the subject further. If it bothers Crystal, then she would tell them.

"All right. Let's go." With that, Crystal jumps onto a tree branch and starts jumping from tree to tree while Dreavus flies and Midnight runs. All three stay close together so they won't lose each other along the way.

Meanwhile, Crystal thinks about earlier that evening back to when she saw Piplup walking away with his friends. In truth, she knows of little penguin personally, but she won't reveal herself to him quite yet. Shrugging the thought off to focus on her destination, Crystal speeds up with her friends following as they zoom through the foliage and head towards the Guild.

:)(:

IN THE MORNING...

The sun rises, creating a beautiful scene as it starts to shine the land. The colors in the sky are brilliant shades of pink, purple, gold, and orange mixing. The sun looks like a gold coin in the horizon as its reflection sparkles in the water.

The sunlight shines in the cave of Sharpedo Bluff, signaling that it is time to wake up. Grovyle squints slightly, slowly opening his eyes and realizing that it is morning. He walks towards the mouth of the cave and silently watches the sunrise, not wanting to miss another chance to see it once again. He smiles as he watches the Wingull fly about and listens to the waves crashing against the boulders of the shore.

"…Mmm…" Dusknoir mumbles in his sleep as the sunlight also starts to wake him. He opens his eye and shakes his head awake. He notices that Grovyle is awake. Standing up to float, he moves towards his friend and sits next to him. "You and your sunrises, Grovyle." Dusknoir chuckles while shaking his head as he watches the sunrise as well.

"What?" Grovyle asks while shrugging cluelessly. "I like watching the sunrise. It's like watching a new day being born. Something new always happens."

Again, Dusknoir chuckles. "That may be true, but that doesn't mean you should ruin your sleep by waking up very early to watch the sun rising." He places a hand on Grovyle's back.

Grovyle rolls his eyes. "I think it's a perfect excuse." He smirks and Dusknoir just shakes his head at his silly friend.

"…Urgh… What's going on?" A sleepy voice mumbles, making the two Pokémon turn to see that Piplup is awake rubbing his eyes sleepily as he yawns. Grovyle and Dusknoir both stand up and walk towards the penguin. Grovyle says, "Good morning, Piplup. How are you this morning?"

Piplup stands up after shaking his head. He looks up with a tired expression that clearly shows that he had a rough night. "Could be better, I guess." At this, both the older Pokémon look at him in concern. Dusknoir asks, "What is wrong, Piplup?"

"I had… another Dimensional Scream, I think…" Piplup says while looking at both the ghost and reptile Pokémon. The two Pokémons' eyes widen slightly and they kneel close to Piplup, looking serious. "What was it about?"

"I'll tell you when everyone else wakes up," Piplup responds wiping some more sleep off his eyes as he yawns again. "They need to hear it. Especially Riolu." Neither Grovyle nor Dusknoir bother to press the subject further despite that they really want to know what the vision is about.

Soon, the others begin to wake up when the sunlight hits their eyes. They rub their eyes, yawn, and stand up to prepare for breakfast. Pikachu decides to gather some berries for everyone while they stretch a bit.

As they begin breakfast, Piplup decides to begin his speech. "Um, guys. There is something I need to tell you."

At this, everyone looks at Piplup with a curious look. "What's up, Piplup?" Chimchar asks. Piplup looks down and sighs before looking back at team. "Well, last night I had a Dimensional Scream, but I don't know what it's about."

At this, everyone but Dusknoir and Grovyle's eyes widen and the heroes begin asking questions all at once. Piplup waits until they all quiet down so he can begin his explanation. "You see, last night while everyone slept, Riolu's jewel touched me. " Riolu looks intrigued and listens closely. "I picked it up to put it back until I had a vision. It was about three girls."

Everyone raises a brow at this statement, wondering about what it could mean. What does Riolu's jewel have anything to do with three girls? Who are the girls, anyway?

"What do they look like…?" Celebi asks with confusion written all over her face. Piplup takes a bite out of his Oran Berry and says, "Well, one girl is a Misdreavus that has a black bandana around her neck; another girl is a red-colored Absol with blue eyes; and the last girl is a Grovyle." At everyone's curious looks, Piplup continues, "But instead of having red and green colors, she has black and white skin with some strange black marks on her forehead, arms, and legs."

"You're sure it's a girl?" Pikachu asks having a raised brow. Piplup looks at the yellow mouse. "Absolutely; her blades are longer and smoother. Plus, her head blade is slightly curled in a girlish manner at the tip, so I'm guessing so."

"What were those three doing?" Dusknoir asks as he looks at Piplup carefully. It is strange; Piplup shouldn't be having any more Dimensional Screams after he saved the world from darkness. However, he still has some Screams that aren't even based on Time Gears, the mission with Drowzee and Azurill being the prime example. So who knows what this could mean?

Again, Piplup shrugs and says, "Well, they just walked up behind me and Chimchar while we were talking to Wigglytuff and Chatot about something. As soon as I got a good look at the girls, the vision faded."

Silence echoes in the cave as everyone takes in this new information. Then Dusknoir asks, "Could this Grovyle probably be that 'Crystal' girl Dialga mentioned?"

"I dunno; it's possible," Grovyle looks equally thoughtful and gazes at his lap as more thoughts come into his mind. "He did say that she looks different from her own species."

"I think I heard of that kind of team from somewhere before…" Riolu states while looking at Piplup and holding his jewel diamond closely. "But I forgot what they're name is called…"

"Well, one thing's for certain." Chimchar states standing up as he crumbles his leaf into a tiny ball and throws it away in the garbage pile nearby. Everyone looks at him. "We can only wait to meet these Pokémon; we have no idea when they could turn up."

Everyone slowly nods in agreement. Chimchar then says, "Hey Piplup, speaking of Wigglytuff and Chatot, we're supposed to go see them for check-ups today."

"Right." Piplup also stands up, crumbles his leaf into a ball, and throws it into the garbage pile. He then walks towards the exit and waits for Chimchar. "Let's go." Chimchar walks outside while Piplup turns to look at the heroes that are still eating. "We're gonna go see the Guild Master. See you guys later." Piplup turns to the exit and leaves.

When he is gone, the heroes glance at one another. "Do you really think that what he saw is true?" Celebi asks looking slightly worried. All the males room occupants shrug and Pikachu states, "Dunno. If it is, we'll just do as Chimchar says. We wait." He takes a humongous bite out of his Pecha Berry, smacking in the process.

"Eat with your mouth closed, Pikachu," Riolu mutters taking a bite out of his Rawst Berry in a much more civilized manner. "It's disgusting…"

Pikachu shrugs carelessly and takes another large bite out his Pecha Berry. He doesn't really listen to his friend as he enjoys his favorite Berry's flavor down to the core.

:)(:

MEANWHILE...

Piplup and Chimchar walk through Treasure Town and stop to buy almost everything the Kecleon Brothers sold. With their bags full, the two heroes then start to head towards the Guild and occasionally say hello to the citizens and by-passers along the way.

They walk up the long stairway towards the base entrance. Piplup smiles as he remembers the first time he came up here. He was nearly scared like crap when Diglett popped out of nowhere in front of him and thus made Piplup and Chimchar fall over the ladder.

As soon as they step onto the gate-covered hole, the familiar voice of Diglett calls, "FOOTPRINTS SPOTTED! FOOTPRINTS SPOTTED!"

"WHO'S FOOTPRINT? WHO'S FOOTPRINT?" Loudred's voice responds as equally as loudly.

"IT'S CHIMCHAR AND PIPLUP! IT'S CHIMCHAR AND PIPLUP!"

"WELL, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? LET THEM IN!"

Chatot's voice startles Piplup and Chimchar slightly. They have never heard him yell so loudly before. As soon as he yells out the command, the gate opens and everyone comes out. The next minute Piplup and Chimchar find themselves pinned down by all the Guildmembers in a group hug/dog pile.

"Hurk!" The two Pokémon heave staring up to see that Loudred, Sunflora, Chimecho, Corphish, and Bidoof are on top of them laughing and looking genuinely happy.

"Omigosh! Piplup! Chimchar!" Sunflora cries out, being the last to get off the heroes. Soon Piplup and Chimchar stand up brushing themselves as they see that everyone looks really excited about something. "What's going on?" Piplup asks looking curious.

"Today's the day!" Loudred cries out, fortunately not too loud to give anyone a headache. The heroes' expressions are question marks; they obviously have no idea what he is talking about.

"Today's the day that Team Gothica comes by to see us again!" Chatot says flying over to explain when he sees the heroes' expressions. Again, Piplup and Chimchar's faces are blank and they still look somewhat confused. "Who's that?" Chimchar asks innocently.

There is stunned silence while everyone stares at the two as if they have just said that they are quitting their jobs. "You're joking, right?" Corphish asks quirking an eyebrow as he looks at the two carefully. The heroes shake their heads, showing that they are still clueless.

Before anyone could respond, Wigglytuff comes up and says, "Oh, then that's no problem." He stops right in front of the beginning Pokémon, wearing a happy smile on his face while Chatot lands on his shoulder. "Since you're both still adjusting to being an exploration team, it's no wonder you don't know who the team is. You see, Team Gothica is very close to me. At least, their leader is. She is my adoptive daughter. I took her in when she was very small."

At this information, Team PokéPals listens curiously. "Yup, yup! She is such a cool girl to be with!" Bidoof adds as his eyes sparkle.

"She is very powerful for her species." Chimecho adds smiling in excitement.

"Charming young lady, I must say," Chatot muses to himself, looking very thoughtful as he places a feather over his chin and glances down. "She's very fun to be with. She is somewhat childish, but she is incredibly strong and extremely smart."

Team PokéPals looks intrigued. Suddenly excited, Piplup asks, "Really? What's her name?"

Wigglytuff smiles and replies, "Crystal."

…Piplup and Chimchar's faces immediately fall, their excitement completely gone. Silence falls over them as the heroes pale and look at each other uneasily. Seeing their reactions, everyone else stares in bewilderment and Wigglytuff asks in concern, "…Is everything all right?"

They boys twitch slightly as they still hold the same bewildered looks on their expressions. Finally realizing how they look and not wanting to explain what is going on, Chimchar lies, "Yeah… sorry about that. I think we ate bad berries this morning." He and Piplup fake smiles to the Guild Master.

Wigglytuff frowns. He knows there is much more based on their reactions, but he decides not to press the subject further if the boys don't want to talk about it. Instead, he presses to the next topic. "OK then… how is your team doing?"

Chatot looks at Wigglytuff wondering why his boss is changing the subject so quickly. But he keeps quiet about it for his and everyone else's sake. The other Guildmembers do the same, also being silent as they shoot suspicious and concerned looks towards Team PokéPals.

Chimchar and Piplup look very relieved that Wigglytuff changes the subject. Piplup then responds, "We're doing fine. We grow stronger by the minute."

"And how are Grovyle, Celebi, and Dusknoir? They haven't been trouble, have they?" Wigglytuff asks casually. He has every right to check up on those three Pokémon; seeing the history that they have with the Guild, it is no wonder that Wigglytuff does a checkup on the team periodically.

"No, sir. They have been very helpful." Piplup says nodding to his boss. He himself still holds a slight suspicion for Dusknoir even though Grovyle stands up for the ghost occasionally.

"Hmm." Wigglytuff nods in satisfaction and smiles again. "Well, that's good." He and Chatot notice three beings coming up from behind Team PokéPals. They smile and Chatot says, "Speaking of Team Gothica, here come the girls!"

The Guildmembers also smile at the beings. Piplup and Chimchar see three shadows coming from behind them. The boys turn around to greet the newcomers but they stop as soon as they see who the newcomers are. Almost all at once, Chimchar and Piplup feel something in their chests drop to the pit of their stomachs.

And all because in front of them are a Misdreavus with a black bandana, a shiny red blue-eyed Absol, and black and white Grovyle smiling at them.


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting and Vision

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 3: Meeting and Vision**

"Omigosh! Omigosh! Crystal!" Sunflora is the first to speak as she runs over to give the female Grovyle a hug. She wraps her arms around the lizard and squeezes her tightly. The Grovyle smiles as she returns the hug. Everyone but Team PokéPals smiles and walks over to greet her and the mysterious team.

"It's nice to see you again too, Sunflora," The Grovyle says letting go of the hug as she turns her attention to Wigglytuff. The large pink Pokémon smiles and engulfs the three girls in a crushing hug, suffocating them.

"W-Wiggly… need… air…" Crystal gasps, her eyes slightly bulging while her friends gasp for air. Realizing this, Wigglytuff drops the three and apologizes, "Oh! I'm sorry, girls!"

Shaking some dirt off them, the girls wave it off as if it is nothing. Dreavus says, "It's fine, Wigglytuff. Besides, I'm already dead; I can't lose anymore life in me." She jokes. Everyone laughs at this except Team PokéPals. Chimchar and Piplup just stare at the newcomers and look paler than milk.

Crystal seems to notice this because after sharing a hug with everyone else she turns her attention to Chimchar and Piplup and smiles quite casually. "And it is nice to meet you, Team PokéPals. We have heard of your victory of the fight with Darkrai and we congratulate you."

Shaking their heads off their stupor, the two beginners look at her in shock. Piplup asks, "How do you know we are of Team PokéPals?"

The Grovyle smiles as her two comrades join her side after giving everyone a hug. "Well, the word spread throughout the region about you guys and I am also a telepath as well. You will kinda get used to it."

"A telepath, huh?" Chimchar asks as his shock is immediately replaced by curiosity. "What am I thinking now?"

The Grovyle looks at Chimchar deeply in the eyes as she reads his thoughts. She then says, "In reality, you were thinking about something quite important but you're trying to think about how Dialga met you both."

"Wow…" Chimchar states, awe covering his expression as Crystal smiles. Piplup stares at the girl, even more perplexed than before. Then without thinking much of the outcome the penguin flat out asks, "Are you Crystal, the same person that Dialga said that would meet us in person?"

The Grovyle blinks, startled. She looks at Piplup in slight surprise and thinks over what he said. Meanwhile, everyone else is wondering what he is talking about. Chatot is about to say that he must be mistaking Crystal for someone else before the female lizard cuts him off, surprising everyone by her answer. "Yes, that is me, Piplup."

Everyone stares at her as silence clouds the atmosphere and Crystal smiles at the stunned Piplup. "Which is one of the other reasons I have returned. You see, there is an area that my team and I cannot get into. It has a prophesy stating that 'the one who has prevented darkness and once was human shall be the only one to enter through his blood.' At once, I knew that one is you, Piplup."

Everyone looks slightly alarmed. A prophesy made about Piplup? There is enough craziness going on around here already! "How did you know that I was a human? Oh wait… you're a telepath… never mind…" Piplup says aloud as he remembers the ability the Grovyle has. The Grovyle shakes her head and says, "That is not necessarily the case either. Right now, I have a request for you young ones." She looks at both the beginner Pokémon, holding a serious look for the first time since she has arrived.

"Will you assist us in our journey?"

Dreavus and Midnight looks at Crystal in shock with slight disbelief covering their features. Everyone else looks equally surprised. Crystal has never asked for any sort of assistance, not even from Wigglytuff. Piplup and Chimchar couldn't determine if they are more flattered or stunned. However, this is literally a once in a lifetime chance to assist such a legendary exploration team. In addition, there is nothing going on with the heroes' lives right now, so why not?

"We'll go with you." Piplup declares looking up at the Grovyle with a smile. Crystal returns the smile and mentally sighs in relief. She then turns her attention to the Guildmembers. "You all are also welcome to join us. Think of it as another treasure hunt."

This makes everyone cheer, happy at the thought of going out camping together again. "We can all leave tomorrow unless anyone has anything important to do by then?" Everyone shakes his or hear heads insistently, showing that they are not busy. "All right, then. Meet us in the Guild in front of Wigglytuff's room by morning like usual. Wigglytuff, Chatot, and I will arrange the teams and plans by then. Until then, you should all prepare for the trip. You are allowed to bring your other friends, Piplup," She smiles kindly at the penguin, making him smile back. "We will need all the help we can get to go through this trip." She then turns to head into the Guild with the Guildmembers following. Only Chimchar and Piplup stay outside, though. Before he decides to leave, Piplup remembers something important and calls out for the female lizard.

"Um… Crystal?" Piplup asks loudly, making Crystal turn to face him curiously. "Dialga said that there is something important that you wanted to tell us. What is it?" She smiles. Deciding that now is probably the only time that she could talk with him privately, Crystal walks over to Piplup and kneels in front of him and Chimchar.

"I'm about to tell you both something very important. But please, for safety in general, don't tell anyone else about this. Not even your team or the Guild." Crystal says. Somewhat confused, the two heroes nod while wondering what is so important that Crystal decides to talk with them about it in private. What she says next nearly makes the boys faint.

"You're both supposed to die within three days."

The boys stare up at the girl rather blankly at first. Then horror and disbelief cover their features and Chimchar splutters, "…W-What?"

"As harsh as it sounds, it's true. I had a vision about you two; one that takes place three days from now. You are supposed to die from a surprise attack by dark Pokémon called Shadow Souls. These are Pokémon that the girls and I occasionally see who have been appearing from the area we are heading to. They are bloodthirsty demons who will not at stop to destroy anything they see. A bite from them will automatically kill you or turn you into one of their own. The result, either way, is very bad."

"T-then why do _we_ have to go?" Piplup squeaks, eyes slightly wide and his face pales. Crystal doesn't blame the boys for their reactions; being told that they would die in very little time, she would also feel like fainting if she were in their shoes. "Because you must. There is a prophesy in the area that you must complete, otherwise the world will fall into darkness again."

"What…?" Chimchar asks, somewhat in disbelief by what the girl is saying.

"You see, the girls and I have been studying as much as possible about the hidden area. All we found out is that this area is an entrance to a new mystery dungeon called 'space'. At first, we believed that Palkia could be in there. But after the proofs that demons appearing out of the area and the dimension where Palkia currently resides in doesn't have any Shadow Souls, this theory neglects it. We don't know _where _it could lead to, but one thing is for sure. I am quite positive that it is in an area far from our own dimension; therefore, it is not in Earth."

"Not in Earth? Is that even possible?" Piplup ponders aloud holding a flipper over his chin as he thinks over what Crystal said. Crystal shrugs and says, "It's the best way I can explain, but I believe so. If we don't find that entrance soon, then more Shadow Souls would come to plague the world and innocent lives, thus…"

"…Making darkness return." Piplup summarizes getting the idea. The Grovyle nods and says, "Which is why I'm serious when I said that we need all the help we can get for the trip. These demons are not to be meddled with, especially since we will be in their territory. I brought some items that would help." Crystal then reaches into the small pouch resting on her hip and takes out seven crystals, each hanging by a thread in the form of a necklace. She hands the jewels to Chimchar, who stares at them blankly as they glitter under the sun.

"I cast a spell on each of them that will protect you from getting harmed from the demons, meaning that Shadow Souls cannot come within three feet around you without getting harmed by a blast from each crystal." Crystal explains.

Nodding in understanding, Chimchar hands a pendant to Piplup while putting his own on above his Relic Fragment. He decides to hold the other five and looks up with a smile at Crystal. She smiles back right before Chatot's voice calls out for her. "Crystal! Where are you? We need to talk about the plans!"

The three Pokémon look at the ladder quickly before turning their attention back to each other. Piplup then says, "Crystal, one more thing; it seems like you know me way before we even met. Is there a reason or…"

"No, Piplup. The main reason I know you is that for years I have tried to get rid of the Shadow Souls, but when I found the prophesy a few days ago I knew that it was you from the beginning who could help stop them. I also heard you from stories shared between travelers. That is all." Crystal responds quickly as she walks towards the entrance before Chatot would call out for her again. "I promise that I will explain more during the trip."

"…Okay. If you say so. Until tomorrow morning, see you." Piplup and Chimchar wave to the disappearing Grovyle and then turn to walk down the flight of stairs as they head back to Treasure Town. As they walk away, Crystal turns her attention back to them and sighs sadly to herself.

"You've changed so much, Gavin," She murmurs gazing sadly at the little penguin. Soon Chatot calls out to her again, making her look down the ladder to see that the parrot is glaring up at her irritably. "Come down here, foolish girl! I don't want to have to yell all night!"

"OK, Chatot I'm coming!" She calls back as she watches Chatot grumble and fly away, making her alone briefly again. Looking up to see Team PokéPals now gone, Crystal climbs down the stairs while murmuring, "…But I promise that everything will be explained eventually, _brother_."

:)(:

SEVERAL HOURS LATER…

Piplup and Chimchar walk through Treasure Town, thinking about what has happened. Since there is nothing to do, they decide to train at Marowak's Dojo to kill the time. But they couldn't stop thinking about the female lizard or what she had said to them as they train. The boys decide to call it a day when the time reaches to five in the evening. As they exit the gym and pass by some of the citizens, the heroes wave to their friends with slight smiles before turning back to focus on their situation.

"I don't get it, Chimchar," Piplup says looking at his best friend. "None of this makes any sense. Crystal looks like an ordinary Pokémon. How is she more powerful than Dialga?"

"One can only guess, Piplup," Chimchar murmurs looking at the crystals the female Grovyle handed to him earlier. "We'll probably see during the trip, so let's just keep a sharp eye out just in case."

Piplup just nods.

"Piplup! Chimchar!" A voice calls out to them. Both the beginners look up to see that it is Pikachu calling out to them while waving his arms above him like a crazy psychopath. He then runs towards them with Riolu, Dusknoir, Grovyle, and Celebi following. The heroes meet at the bridge in the middle of the small market.

"Hi, guys." Piplup and Chimchar greet with small waves.

Celebi notices the crystals in Chimchar's hands and asks, "What are those crystals for?" The others notice this and look curiously at the jewels.

"We will explain everything, but not here." Piplup gestures 'here', meaning in the market. "Let's go to the beach."

"Agreed." Chimchar nods to his friend. The allies look confused but shrug as they follow their leaders to the sandy beach.

Meanwhile, Skunktank and his two minions, Zubat and Koffing, are hiding behind bushes nearby. They listen into Team PokéPals' private conversation and laugh amongst themselves.

"Did you see what that little monkey brat has?" Zubat sniggers looking at his comrade and boss while the team walks away. "Yup; they are pieces of pure crystals. Very valuable little things." Koffing smiles and then looks at his boss inquiringly. "Should we go get them?"

Skunktank smirks and says, "We do. Hurk urk urk!" With a small laugh, he and his two minions sneak away and head towards the beach to confront their enemies once again.

:)(:

Piplup and Chimchar finally make it to the beach in about five minutes. They stop near the entrance of a cave and wait for the others to catch up. When they do, Piplup says, "All right, everyone. How do you feel about going on another adventure?"

At this, the allies hold blank stares. However, Celebi and Pikachu both exclaim in joy, "Ooh! What is it?"

"Don't get yourselves too excited. After I explain where we're going and what we're going to be dealing with, I don't think you'll like it either..." Chimchar says lowering his tone in a quiet manner. Hearing this, everyone quiets down and listens to everything Chimchar and Piplup explains; from the arrival of Crystal to everything she has told them. The only thing the boys leave out is that Crystal said that they could die in the future. The heroes don't want their friends to worry about that uncertain fact since they aren't sure if it is true or if Crystal was just joking.

After the quick explanation, the allies are silent as they take in the news. Celebi and Pikachu's happy faces are now replaced by ones of fear and horror. Dusknoir and Grovyle hold unreadable expressions. Riolu looks somewhat shaken as he holds onto Grovyle's leg for support.

"So let me get this straight," Dusknoir starts holding out a finger as he speaks. His voice has a hint of the familiar tone he uses when he is expressionless, and that is usually bad and scary. "You just met this Crystal person, who told you about these Shadow Souls and what they do. She and her team need help to get to a territory that Crystal believes only you can enter as stated through a prophesy..."

"And Crystal happens to be a black and white female Grovyle..." Grovyle chimes in looking thoughtful as he places a hand on his chin.

"...Who is the same Crystal that Dialga mentioned before..." Riolu adds peeking from behind Grovyle with slight anxiety.

"...That is supposed to be so powerful that even Dialga is afraid of her..." Pikachu adds looking somewhat annoyed.

"...And Crystal has asked that we go help her with a mission that could possibly kill us all... and she gave us magical crystals that would protect us from these demons... So you have accepted to go with her to this area? And we're allowed to go too?" Celebi finishes looking serious for the second time.

Piplup and Chimchar take a deep breath after giving their friends the long explanation. They listen to how the others take in the news and speak out their opinions. After looking at each other briefly, the boys nod and say, "Yep. That's about it."

Another silence follows. Pikachu takes a step forward and narrows his eyes as he grabs the boys by their bandana or bow. "Well, do you wanna know what I think about that?"

The two heroes gulp, close their eyes, and wince as they wait for the yellow mouse to start yelling. However, that doesn't happen.

Pikachu laughs joyously and envelopes the boys in a hug, squeezing the life out of them. "I THINK THAT IT SOUNDS AWESOME! WE GOTTA GO!" While he babbles on, everyone sweat-drops.

Nervously pushing the crazed mouse away, the leaders brush sand off themselves and Chimchar picks up the dropped crystals. "OK... I guess you're in..." Piplup muses while looking uneasily at his friend. Sure, the thunder rodent is somewhat random, but it is still a good idea to have his help along the way. Pikachu has the keenest sense of smell and sight out of everyone and his electricity power is unlimited.

"I agree!" Celebi chimes in floating forwards as she grins. "All the danger, action, adventure, and new mysteries! I _love_ it!" She says in a dramatic voice and joins Pikachu with a happy dance. "Sure…" Riolu shrugs as he watches the two Pokémon dance rather off balance. Smiling weakly, Piplup and Chimchar turn to face the older friends and wait for their opinions.

Grovyle and Dusknoir look at each other as if the other would answer the question. Instead, they look back and stare carefully at the two. "Do you really think that this is a good idea, Piplup?" Grovyle inquires crossing his arms as he gazes coolly at his friends. "Based on your description, I don't think that this journey will be a safe one."

"I already said that I would help Crystal with her mission," Piplup says narrowing his eyes in determination. "And I never break my promises. Besides, if I can defeat Primal Dialga and Darkrai then I'm sure I can handle this."

Grovyle chuckles while shaking his head. "True, but we do not know exactly what we will be facing here."

"That's why I want you guys to come with me," Piplup pleads looking desperately at the ghost and lizard. "In case things get out of hand, I need your guys' help. Perhaps you know something about this area from the future and you could help us figure out what it all means."

"Maybe..." Dusknoir muses looking slightly thoughtful before turning his eye back to the penguin. "Either way, I will go with you. We don't know what could happen to you."

"Thanks, Dusknoir," Piplup smiles before turning to face his second best friend to hear of his decision. "Grovyle, what do you say?"

Grovyle thinks a little more before he sighs in defeat. "Fine, I'll come with you. There hasn't been one mission that you haven't completed without me since I got back." He then adds with a smirk, "Besides, I can't let Dusknoir try anything funny..."

"Oh, and what does that mean?" Dusknoir crosses his arms and glares at Grovyle. The green lizard smirks and holds up his hands defensively while saying, "Nothing... nothing at all..."

Piplup and Chimchar smile at each other, knowing that they have their friends' support. They hold each other's flipper or hand in a firm handshake knowing that they will need to get ready for the big trip tomorrow. Nodding to each other, the boys walk over to help Pikachu, Celebi, and Riolu stop the ghost and grass Pokémon from strangling each other to death.


	4. Chapter 4: Rescue and Meetings

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 4: Rescue and Meetings**

After what seemed like an eternity (but is really only ten minutes), the heroes finally manage to get Dusknoir and Grovyle off each other. Celebi and Piplup hold Grovyle back while Pikachu and Riolu hold Dusknoir back. However, both of the opposing Pokémon are determined to claw at the other at the very least. Chimchar decides to stand by and watch while holding the crystals safely.

"C'mon! Is that all you've got?" Grovyle shouts at Dusknoir pulling forwards while the two younger Pokémon hold him back by the arms. Dusknoir snorts. "Oh, no. I can easily send you to the depths of darkness if I want to."

"Then why don't you?" Grovyle challenges while smirking. Meanwhile, Chimchar sighs in exasperation. These two argue over so many pointless things just for the sake of arguing. It is annoying and amusing at the same time.

Dusknoir is about to say something smart before Piplup decides to end the argument. He yells, "Now's not the time, guys! While you both are quarreling like a married couple, we are wasting precious time getting ourselves ready for the journey! So both of you knock it off or neither of you will come with us!"

There is silence at first. Everyone looks at Piplup blankly before the two older creatures sigh and are released while they look at each other. "Very well. This will be dealt with later." Grovyle smirks as he holds out his hand to the ghost Pokémon, who looks like he is smirking as well as he shakes the lizard's hand. "After the journey."

No one says anything to this. The two would always challenge each other numerous times. However, neither would ever think of killing each other, Piplup knows that much. They are a lot like brothers; they always try to prove who is the better man of the family. Chimchar mentally sighs in content. He knows that the men would mean no harm, but he hates seeing fighting of any sort regardless.

"Something on your mind, Chimchar?" Celebi asks floating toward the fire Pokémon as he stares ahead blankly. Blinking, he looks at the pink girl that holds a concerned look. He shrugs casually saying, "Nothing really. I'm just wondering what the land we're going to is gonna be like."

"It's probably nasty and bloody and black and dark and stuff," Pikachu comments walking up to his friend with arms crossed. He straightens his bandana before continuing. "Judging by the description you gave us, it's gotta be pretty bad in some way."

"Possibly..." Chimchar states. "But I can't help but wonder... What are the Shadow Souls like?"

"Again, nasty, bloody, black, and dark freaks of nature that want to eat your brains and blood and whatnot." Pikachu comments. Everyone stops and stares at him oddly. He shrugs cluelessly. "What? I'm just saying what I think."

"Maybe they are," Dusknoir states glancing to the side as he thinks. "Or maybe not. I never heard of such a thing called a Shadow Soul." He looks at Piplup carefully. "Are you sure that is what they are called?"

Shrugging, Piplup nods. "Crystal said that's what they are called..."

"Unless she is lying..." Pikachu comments narrowing his eyes in an annoyed manner. Again, everyone looks at him. "What makes you say that?" Riolu asks his best friend curiously.

"Can't judge a book by its cover. Even the nicest Pokémon could be the most vicious criminals. You two should know that..." Pikachu looks at Chimchar and Piplup pointedly. The boys lower their gazes knowing that Pikachu is referring to Drowzee and Dusknoir's incidents a while ago. Even Dusknoir looks a little guilty as he looks away.

"Well," Grovyle clears his throat, obviously trying to change the subject. He places a hand on Chimchar's shoulder and looks at the crystals in the fire monkey's hands. "How about we get started and get a good night's rest, eh?"

"Agreed." Chimchar nods and then he holds out the crystals to show the others. "But first, let me give these to each of you guys. Crystal gave one for each of us to have since they all have a protective spell that will repel Shadow Souls."

"They can do that?" Riolu asks skeptically. Chimchar shrugs while saying, "I dunno. But just in case, keep them with you at all times."

"Honestly, why does Dialga have any hesitation for this girl? She is barely up to his ankle!" Pikachu snaps looking annoyed once again. Everyone looks at him patiently, used to his hasty and wild nature. "And how does she even know that we're all going?"

"In all honesty Pikachu, I don't know. If you had seen her, you'd get a feeling that something about her isn't right, either." Chimchar states while counting the number of Pokémon present and the crystals in his hands. Piplup adds, "Maybe because she is a telepath, she sensed that we'd ask you guys to come with us." Some of the allies nod at this finding that it is a possibility.

"Or maybe she's a stalker..." Pikachus says randomly in an evil manner as he wiggles his fingers. Again, the heroes stop and give him disturbed looks. Pikachu shrugs cluelessly again. "What?"

Dusknoir then decides to try to reason with the yellow mouse. "Pikachu, why would an expert explorer want to stalk a younger and newer exploration team?"

"Maybe because the younger team saved the world?" Pikachu offers placing his hands on his hips stubbornly. No one says anything for a moment. "Or maybe because we have something she might want?"

"Enough, you guys," Chimchar states getting annoyed. "Just let me give these crystals to you so we can all get go-"

He is interrupted when two figures crash into him, making him stumble over a large rock. He yelps in pain while the seven crystals he held drop and scatter across the sand. Alarmed, everyone steps back. Soon a horrible smell fills the area and all the heroes immediately cover their noses while tearing slightly.

"Hack! What is that horrible smell?" Celebi squeaks holding where her nose would be while tears leak from her eyes from the horrid stench. The heroes gag until the stench fades away. The heroes then look around for the source. Seeing no one, Piplup and Grovyle go over to help Chimchar, who is rubbing his head while groaning.

"Are you all right, Chimchar?" Grovyle asks in concern. Both he and the penguin hoist the chimp up by the arms back onto his feet. Chimchar nods while looking at Grovyle. "I'm fine. It'll take more than that to knock me out." He gives a smile while looking ahead and gasps when he notices that the crystals are missing. "Where did the crystals go?" he cries out running to where he originally stood and looks side to side frantically. Noticing this, everyone looks around trying to find the amulets.

"Looking for these?" A dark voice asks out of nowhere. Everyone turns to face the owner of the voice near the entrance of the cave. There stand Skunktank, Zubat, and Koffing holding the crystals in their paws or invisible hands.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" Chimchar yells out. His hands are balled into fists as he glares and stomps towards the troublemakers. "Give those back! They're ours!"

"Let us think about that one... um... no!" Zubat says smartly acting as if he was thinking before yelling the last part. He laughs with Koffing until Skunktank smacks them both on the head with his tail.

"Shut your mouths!" The skunk snaps glaring behind his back at his minions. He turns to sneer at the monkey, ignoring his team's whining as they rub their heads in pain. "As I was saying, these crystals do not belong to you anymore. They're mine now." He smirks.

"What?" Chimchar yells, outraged. Meanwhile, the heroes run up beside their friend to engage in the glaring contest with the other team. "That is not fair!" Piplup states as he glares irritably at the rivaling team. He has absolutely no time for this crap, especially with these jerks.

"Kid, life is never fair," Skunktank shrugs carelessly and looks at the crystals carefully in his paws. "That Relic Fragment you have sure is junk. With these jewels, we'll make a fortune!"

"Not gonna to happen," Pikachu growls. His cheeks start to sparkle as he glares at the three and clenches his fists. "You better give those back before I make you eat your tail for dessert tonight."

Skunktank and his minions stare at the Pikachu weirdly before shaking their heads while the leader says, "Whatever, ya little rodent."

Riolu gestures to the mouse in a serious manner. "He'll do it, dude."

"Look," Grovyle decides to end this conversation and walks up to face the leader with a serious look. Piplup and Chimchar have warned him and the others about this team, so they already have bad thoughts about the villains. However, Grovyle wants to try to reason with them without terms of violence. "We don't want to fight and we really need those crystals." He holds out a hand. "Now, how about you give them back and we all can pretend that this never happened?"

Everyone looks at Grovyle as if he is crazy before Skunktank laughs and sprays what looks like Toxic onto the lizard, making Grovyle scream in pain and fall back against Dusknoir and Celebi. Both the said Pokémon catch him as he fell and hold looks of concern. "Grovyle!" The heroes yell as they run towards their friend to inspect him while Skunktank laughs with his friends at Grovyle's misfortune.

"You jerk!" Celebi yells glaring murderously at the team after seeing the deep wound on Grovyle's chest, which is slightly purple and red due to raw poison. "You poisoned him!"

"Not our problem." Koffing states rudely while chortling with Zubat and Skunktank. "Have fun with your last moments with lizard boy! We're gonna make a fortune with these babies!" With that, the three take off still laughing at the helpless team.

Soon they are stopped when three figures block their way, and they stop laughing as they stare. Their sneering grins turn into bewildered frowns as they stare at the blockers. Behind them, Chimchar and Piplup smile in relief while the others look on in slight confusion. In front of them are a black and white Grovyle with hands on her hips and a displeased frown on her snout, a Misdreavus with a black bandana around her neck, and a shiny Absol.

"Team Gothica..." Chimchar and Piplup chorus together, happy to see the girls again despite that they are quite curious on what the girls are doing here in the first place. Meanwhile, Skunktank replaces his surprised bewilderment with an unimpressed sneer. "What do you want?" He snaps, not caring in the least that he is in the presence of women. The Grovyle snorts as she points at the crystals the enemies are carrying. "I believe you have what belongs to them..."

"What? These?" Skunktank asks pretending to be clueless as he holds up the jewels. He then smirks again and challenges, "What are you gonna do about it, huh?"

"If you don't give them back to their true owners," Crystal begins having a warning tone while her comrades prepare themselves for combat. "Then we'll take them back by force without any objection. And trust me; you don't want to mess with Team Gothica."

"Team Gothica?" Zubat repeats looking surprised. "Then you must be the legendary Crystal!" He drops the crystals and bows to Crystal as a soldier would to an emperor. "It is such an honor to meet you, milady."

The girls giggle in amusement while Crystal holds a look of bewilderment, unsure of how to handle the change of attitude from the bat. All she could think of saying is, "Um... thanks?"

Skunktank and Koffing look aggravated by their teammate's change, but before they could say anything Zubat rushes over to them and says, "I think you'd better do as she says."

Not really surprised, the men refuse, completely unaware of what Crystal has in store for them.

"I'm serious!" The Zubat says urgently. "Do you have any idea how powerful she has?"

"What, she's not only an albino freak, but she also has unnatural powers?" Skunktank cackles, not taking the bat seriously. Crystal hears this comment and grunts to make herself noticed. Zubat looks at her nervously while the other two men sneer. Meanwhile, Team PokéPals simply watches the fight while trying to relief Grovyle of his poisoned state.

"I said to _give the crystals back_." Crystal hisses the last part as she brings her hand up and waves two fingers towards herself. Like magic, the crystals obey and float towards her regardless of how strong the enemies' grips on them are. Alarmed, everyone watches Crystal take the purple-glowing crystals into her arms. Somewhat unnerved, the opposing team backs away as the three men stare at the Grovyle as she hands the gems to her friends before facing the enemies again.

"I am going to explain this as delicately as possible. Leave those Pokémon alone and stay away from them, especially Piplup." Crystal says threateningly and points at the skunk specifically. Her friends look at her warily, nervous by her unnatural anger. Everyone else looks just as nervous, not sure of what Crystal has in mind to do.

Skunktank snorts. "What if I don't, freak?" He decides to spite her even though he is slightly intimidated by her.

"Zubat, move out of the way," Crystal orders, not moving her eyes away from the skunk. Hastily, the bat does just as he is told and stands by Team PokéPals as they watch. Crystal then closes her eyes briefly and opens them again, only this time they glow light purple. As this happens, Koffing and Skunktank start to glow purple and they groan as their eyes widen in alarm. Apparently, the girl is using Psychic on both her targets.

"Ack! OK! OK! We'll leave the wimps alone!" Skunktank yells, his voice slightly strangled as he tries to breathe. "Just put us down!" At this point, both Pokémon are floating in midair, unable to move. Everyone just gawks at the sight.

Crystal put the boys down slowly, her eyes fading back into normal gold as she promptly drops the two onto the sand. The villains shake sand off themselves hastily. With a look at Crystal that clearly says 'freak', the boys run towards the forest. Zubat pauses, looking at Crystal and then back at his retreating team, unsure of what to do.

"Go with them," Crystal advises quietly, making the bat look at her uneasily. "They will need you and you will need them."

Nodding slightly, Zubat goes after his team, not saying another word as they disappear behind the foliage.

Everyone looks at the forest for a long moment before Crystal looks at Team PokéPals and walks towards the heroes with her friends following. Piplup and Chimchar stand up to talk to her while the others gaze at her nervously while holding a barely conscious Grovyle.

"Piplup and Chimchar, are you both all right?" Crystal asks softly smiling at the two as she kneels down. They nod as they give her a hug while Chimchar says, "That is so cool! You're a telepath and a psychic?"

Smiling, Crystal breaks the hug and nods. "Amongst other things." She then looks up at the rest of the team, who flinches slightly as the heroes look at her. Crystal stands up while Piplup introduces his friends to her. "This is the rest of my team. Pikachu," The mouse winks at Crystal. "Riolu," The jackal waves while smiling shyly. "Celebi," She gives a nod and a slight smile. "Dusknoir," The ghost gives a slight nod. "And Grovyle."

Noticing the lizard, Crystal walks forward and kneels by his side looking at his wound. "Is he all right?" She asks worriedly. Celebi shakes her head while saying, "That Skunktank poisoned him. That jerk… I ought to give him a piece of my mind the next time I see him!" She holds a furious look as she glares angrily at the direction the said team disappeared in.

Crystal shakes her head. "That won't solve anything." She then looks at Midnight urgently. "Mid, do you have a needle, a piece of string, and clean water that I can use?"

"Yep," The Absol takes out a tiny needle and a roll of silky string from her bag. She hands both items to Crystal. "But I don't have fresh water."

"I could summon some, if you want," Piplup offers. Crystal smiles at him and says, "Perfect. Could you do a little water gun on my hand, please?"

Everyone looks at her funny.

"I promise that it won't hurt me." She assures. Seeing how serious she looks, Piplup just shrugs and does what he is told. He spits out a tiny water gun that looks more like a small water fountain if anything. Crystal smiles and closes her eyes, using her other hand to make waving gestures. Suddenly, the water starts floating in midair and makes beautiful wave patterns by the command of Crystal's hand.

As everyone watches in awe, Crystal summons the water into Grovyle's raw chest and uses both her hands to remove the poison out of his systems. Grovyle is breathing raspy and sweats profusely. He flinches when the water goes into his sensitive spots.

Once finished, Crystal orders the water out that shows some purple blobs. She dumps the contamination into the sand and buries it afterward. Soon after, she takes the needle and string and starts to sew Grovyle's wound back together.

"How did you do that?" Riolu asks softly, awe and shock evident in his tone. Not taking her eyes off her work, Crystal explains, "Being a psychic can let you do many things, kiddo. I can use water to clean infections with no problem, but it's a very hard trick to excel on."

Once she is finished, Crystal bites the string off the sealed wound and hands the materials back to Midnight. She then closes her eyes as she places a hand on Grovyle's chest. She starts to glow a rainbow color and Grovyle's wound becomes noticeably smaller. Soon it is gone completely and Crystal lets go of Grovyle and moves away slightly.

Grovyle stirs and opens his eyes to look around in confusion. "Where am I?" He wonders aloud, forgetting what has just happened to him. Smiling in glee, Celebi hugs him tightly, which nearly makes him choke. "Grovyle! You're OK!"

He sits up as he looks at her funny before looking at everyone but the newcomers, not noticing Team Gothica on his other side. "I guess I… am?" He states, confused. Seeing that he needs to be reminded of what has happened, Piplup explains, "Skunktank poisoned you, but Crystal scared him and his team away and healed you after." Piplup holds a happy grin as he says this.

Grovyle blinks. "Crystal?"

Piplup then gestures behind Grovyle. "Right behind you."

Frowning, Grovyle turns around to see that Team Gothica is looking at him in curiosity. He looks at the Absol and the Misdreavus until his eyes fall onto the black and white Grovyle, whose piercing gold eyes gaze at him curiously.

Grovyle feels his breath shorten; the sight of the female lizard astounds him. A black and white Grovyle isn't something you'd see every day, but she looks stunning. Her skin reminds him vaguely of snow. It is somewhat strange but wonderful to look at. Her black blades and marks fascinate him, showing that she must be somewhat of a Goth that prefers the night. The black goes well with the white, truth be told. He notices the mark on Crystal's forehead but doesn't pay too much attention to that detail. He is just lost in Crystal's eyes as if they have sent a hypnotic spell through his systems. Grovyle feels his heart skip a beat as he stares at her gold eyes. They remind him so much of the wonderful sunrise and that is enough to admit to anyone that the eyes have entranced him.

Crystal is lost in his eyes as well. She vaguely tries to read his mind during their staring contest, but surprisingly she finds nothing. It seems that he is immune to psychic powers, but how is the question. She puts the question aside as she tries to read his thoughts through his eyes. She is able to see that they hold surprise, curiosity, sternness, slight confusion and... something else. What is it?... Awe, maybe?

The two continue to stare at each other for a very long time. As the others watch, they take note of the strange behavior the lizards have. The heroes notice that Grovyle is unusually quiet even when meeting a new person. He would always introduce himself after eye contact, but this time... he is practically staring gobsmacked at Crystal. Piplup and Chimchar look at each other, clueless of what is going on. Dusknoir looks at Celebi, who just shrugs. The ghost then looks back at Grovyle and ponders hard on what could be wrong with his friend. An idea comes into his mind and his eye slightly widens before it goes back into a serious stare. He decides not to speak about it until later when he and Grovyle are alone. Crystal's friends are also pondering on what is bugging their leader and they glance at each other. Soon realization dawns onto them as their faces express their surprise, but they hide it quickly while looking back at Crystal with small smiles forming on their lips.

Pikachu then decides to break the moment moving in between the two Grovyle as he looks curiously at Crystal. He ignores the bewildered look Grovyle holds. "So you're the famous Crystal that Piplup and Chimchar told us about." Pikachu is wearing a toothy grin, proving himself as an even bigger fool. Everyone slightly frowns at the mouse, finding his usual interruptions slightly amusing but inappropriate at times. This is definitely one of those moments.

Clearing her throat and shaking her head, Crystal nods slightly. "Yes, that is me." She stands up holding out her hand for Grovyle to help him up. He looks at it briefly before looking at Crystal again. Then he smiles as he takes her hand and stands up. He is surprised by her strength; she doesn't even stumble as he is back onto his feet. As he stands, he notices that he is slightly taller than Crystal is at least by eye height. He looks down at her while she looks up at him.

Again, Pikachu breaks the moment by yelling, "Wow! That is so cool! Now I remember who you guys are!" He looks at Crystal, Midnight, and Dreavus with wide eyes and a cheesy grin. "They are Team Gothica!"

Team PokéPals frowns. "Pikachu, I think we already clarified who they are..." Piplup states while looking at his friend in a funny manner. He vaguely wonders how such a creature is fast with his feet but never with his common sense.

At this, Pikachu is jumping up and down with excitement while pointing at the three girls like a crazed fan would usually do. "No, no, no! I mean _the_ Team Gothica! These girls have been at every place in the entire world and defeated every Pokémon in their path! They also found legendary items such as the Aqua-Monica, the Fiery Drum, the Terra Cymbal, and so on! Not even Wigglytuff could find such legendary treasures! They survived the Black Storm and found a cure for the illness it caused! These guys are legends!"

Crystal and the girls slightly blush and rub their arms as they look away. Apparently, they don't know how to deal with such a knowledgeable fan. "Yes, that is us..." Crystal repeats looking at her friends. They smile weakly, also not used to this kind of drama.

Pikachu then looks over at the three girls, still looking excited. "It is such an honor for the best team in the world to ask for our help!" He then walks over to his favorite idol ignoring the huffs from his team. He hugs Crystal's leg, making her move back in slight bewilderment and discomfort. "Ever since I was a little Pichu, it has been my dream to one day help you..." Pikachu starts to bawl like a baby, which makes everyone sweat-drop.

"Yes, that is very nice," Crystal says shaking her leg but the stubborn mouse refuses to let go as he continues to cry. She then tries to calm him down. "Listen, kid. I appreciate your faith in us but please get off my leg."

Immediately Pikachu stops crying and does as he is told while grinning at the Grovyle. He then salutes her respectfully. "Yes, ma'am." Some of his friends slap their foreheads in embarrassment while the legendary team stares in slight amusement.

"So what brings you here, Crystal?" Grovyle asks in an attempt to ease the awkward situation his teammate created. He shoots a slight glare at the mouse, who shrugs cluelessly.

"Actually, I was coming down here to help take care of Skunktank and his team," Crystal replies somewhat relieved by the change in topic. After seeing everyone's blank stares, she adds, "I assume Piplup has told you everything?"

Everyone nods.

"Hmm..." Crystal frowns pondering to herself as she looks at their expressions. She is surprised to see that everyone has a calm aura. "That's funny... I would have thought that you'd be sad or afraid for your friends..." She holds a thoughtful look on her face as she cups her chin, clueless that she let something the young leaders wanted kept quiet out in public.

At this, Piplup and Chimchar panic and make gestures for Crystal to keep quiet. She glances at them, looking at them blankly while the heroes hold looks of confusion. Crystal reads Piplup and Chimchar's minds and her eyes widen. "You... didn't tell them?" She holds a disbelieving tone. "It's important for them to know as well."

"What's important for us to know?" Celebi inquires looking at the boys and Crystal cluelessly. The other four look just as bewildered, worried about what the problem is. Meanwhile Midnight and Dreavus back away after sensing that it could turn into an ugly scene since they also know what is going on.

"Piplup?" Grovyle looks at his friend crossing his arms as he holds a serious look. "Is there something you're not telling us that we should know about?" The allies look at Piplup intently, giving him piercing looks. Chimchar looks down at his feet while Piplup sighs and lowers his head. Deciding that it is time for his other friends to know, Piplup gives up the information.

"Chimchar and I are supposed to die within three days from now."

The heroes are silent, not believing what they have just heard come out of their leader. Riolu and Pikachu are pale and their eyes are slightly larger than usual. Celebi is quiet, equally pale as she lands on her feet, unable to have the urge to fly anymore. Grovyle looks alarmed while Dusknoir holds an unreadable expression.

"You're both going to die?" Pikachu asks forgetting to be sensitive about it due to being upset and horrified. Slowly, Chimchar nods as he and Piplup look at anything but their friends.

"And Crystal knows this?" Dusknoir asks sharply. He turns to face the white Grovyle with a threatening glare while the said lizard holds an unimpressed look. "How?" he inquires, skepticism in his expression and tone.

Dreavus decides to defend Crystal and floats upward, separating the two as she looks at Dusknoir squarely in the eye. "Like advanced telepaths," She begins, her tone slightly warning and defensive for her friend, "Crystal is gifted with the ability to have visions, therefore she can see into the future."

"In fact, that is another reason we need to let you all come," Crystal says and everyone looks at her. "One, for Piplup and Chimchar's protection; and two, for some reason the entrance can be only opened and/or closed by the chosen one. One that was once human before."

"And you think that's Piplup," Riolu finishes getting the idea. Crystal nods.

"But what if he isn't? And why do he and Chimchar need to go to the place that you say you saw them killed in?" Dusknoir snaps glaring at Crystal as he crosses his arms. Crystal sighs as she crosses her own arms over her chest.

"Like I said, I want you to come with us to ensure their safety. I gave the crystals to them to give to you for your own safety as well." Her eyes light up. "Which reminds me, here." She hands out each crystal (which were stored in her bag after she took them from Team Meanies) to each Pokémon, who inspect them curiously or skeptically. "And I know that it must be Piplup due to him being human before."

"I see..." Grovyle states, unsure of what to say. He is somewhat amused and annoyed at their situation. Why couldn't they get at least a month off hard work?

"It's getting late, guys..." Midnight states suddenly as she looks at the setting sun over the horizon. Bubbles started to float around to add to the beauty. "We should probably get going..."

"You're right," Crystal nods in agreement and looks at the heroes for a moment. "We should go our separate ways to prepare for the journey, so we'll see you all tomorrow morning."

"Why don't you join us for dinner?" Piplup offers suddenly before he could stop himself. Everyone looks at him in surprise. He blushes slightly and adds, "I mean, we could repay you for your help with dinner, and I'm sure everyone is hungry. We've got plenty of Berries to spare for a whole year..."

"That is very kind, Piplup, but-" Crystal starts to protest but is cut off when Grovyle joins Piplup's side. "Yes, please come join us. It would be nice to accompany a legendary team for dinner, especially since the leader saved my life." He smiles weakly and blushes. Dusknoir raises a brow at his friend.

Seeing that she isn't going to get out of this situation, Crystal sighs and says, "...Very well. Midnight, Dreavus, and I will come with you for dinner." Behind her, the girls give smiles of approval along with the other heroes except Dusknoir. It would make a very nice change for them.

"Then it's settled," Celebi smiles clasping her hands together in glee. "You'll be joining us for dinner." She wraps an arm around Crystal's shoulder and grins. "We're gonna have such a good time together. I just know it!"

"Yeah..." Crystal smiles, glad to see someone having an optimistic view of things. She then nods at Grovyle and Piplup, who return the smiles. Grovyle noticeably blushes. Pikachu notices this and doesn't hesitate asking. "Grovyle, are you blushing?"

"What?" Grovyle asks, absurdity in his tone as he stares in disbelief at the mouse. "No!" He then looks side to side uneasily while trying to find a reasonable excuse. "It's just... sunburn. Yeah." He mentally smacks himself after finding that response the lamest thing he has ever said.

Pikachu isn't convinced as he places his hands on his hips and smirks at the larger Pokémon. "Yeah, sunburn. Gotcha." He then walks away with Riolu still smirking. Fortunately, no one pays attention to this as they walk away as well, leaving Grovyle alone for a moment.

Grovyle curses the yellow mouse for embarrassing the heroes with his overexaggerating crying. Shaking his head, he goes over to the shore and washes his face with water after finding out that it is rather warm since Pikachu mentioned it. Before he could splash his face again, he stops and looks at his reflection carefully. He sees his reflection's snout and cheeks turning slightly red. Seeing this makes Grovyle redden even more as he splashes more water in hopes to cool down.

"Grovyle?" Crystal's voice calls out to him. He looks up to see that she and Piplup are still behind while the others head towards the cave to prepare dinner while speaking with their new friends. The two said Pokémon are standing nearby the shore having looks of concern as they watch Grovyle.

Shaking the water off himself, Grovyle walks over to the two saying, "I'm fine. I just felt unusually warm."

Crystal nods in understanding. "I can understand that. I don't like the aftermaths of what the sun does to you. It's one of the reasons I decided to name my group Team Gothica."

"Really?" Grovyle asks, curious. Crystal smiles and nods before turning to head to their destination while they continue to talk. "We have preferred the night since the moon is not as fierce as the sun. It doesn't hurt us as much."

"That makes sense," Grovyle says and asks out of curiosity, "By the way, how did you get white skin? Other Grovyle or grass Pokémon I've met or seen are usually green."

Crystal looks at him and pauses as she thinks. She couldn't tell him the whole truth; he'd never believe her. She shrugs. "Since I was born, I guess..."

"And Wigglytuff took you in?" Piplup asks, also curious. Crystal smiles slightly as she explains her background to the boys. "When I was younger as a Treecko, I was abandoned when I was a few days old. I think." She furrows her eyebrows, looking slightly confused. "It's been such a while, and since I was a baby I don't remember many things or think too much about it. Anyway, no one took me in, but that's when I met Wigglytuff. He was a Jigglypuff back then but he was at the process of becoming the Guild Master and evolving into his final form. He taught me everything I know. As I grew much more stable to take care of myself, I set off for my goal to be an explorer after graduation. That's when I met Midnight and Dreavus."

"Huh." Grovyle says. He couldn't explain why but he wants to know every detail about this girl. Then he asks, "So what kind of adventures have you accomplished?"

Crystal smiles again and begins to tell Piplup and Grovyle of stories from her first quest to her newest discovery. The boys listen with interest during the entire walk home. As the heroes leave the beach, a lone figure hides behind a boulder spying on them.

"_**Crystal... Gavin..."**_ Its dark voice growls, the names being spoken with venom dripping like a deadly poison. _**"It will soon be time for you to lose everything that you hold so dear to your hearts..."**_

With that, the shadowed figure disappears into the shadows without a trace. The waves just crash against the boulder. The sun has set, signaling twilight while everyone prepares themselves for the night.


	5. Chapter 5: Battle

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 5: Battle**

The two teams have finished their dinner and now are shopping in Treasure Town. Celebi, Dreavus, and Midnight are talking with Chansey about girl stuff and laughing about something. Ever since dinner, they have gotten closer together and are like best friends. Their topics range to almost anything.

It is now twilight in Treasure Town and most of the Pokémon are preparing to sleep for the night while others are making last minute shopping.

Meanwhile Dusknoir, Riolu, and Pikachu are speaking with Electivire about combining all their powers together. However, this results into an argument between Riolu and Pikachu about which move would be better for who or which move would profit the other teammate. Dusknoir and Electivire sweat-drop while watching the two friends bicker. After a short while, they grow bored and start to speak with each other. Dusknoir asks to link some of his own powers together while the electric Pokémon discusses about prices.

Not too far from them Crystal, Grovyle, Piplup, and Chimchar are speaking with each other as they head towards the Kecleon Brothers' shop. Piplup and Chimchar are discussing about what to buy while Grovyle asks more about Crystal's personal life. Both the lizards seem to enjoy themselves as they continue to talk.

"So you've been to the Hidden Land too?" Grovyle asks looking at Crystal in curiosity. So far only he, Piplup, and Chimchar have entered that area. So why are Crystal and her team permitted to go in?

"Yup. Wigglytuff's friend Lapras sees us as very trustworthy Pokémon that would not to tell others about the island." Crystal explains with her arms behind her back as she walks beside Grovyle towards the shop. "Lapras was also with Wigglytuff when he found me abandoned. Lapras showed me every island out there known."

"Interesting..." Grovyle says, not taking his eyes off Crystal. In fact, ever since dinner he finds himself unable to take his eyes off her golden pools. It is as if he is trying to read her mind and see exactly what she thinks.

Crystal is in a similar predicament, but it is a truer statement for her case. No matter what she tries to do, she cannot read this Grovyle's mind or hear what he thinks, so it makes him very hard to figure out. Like him however, she is entranced by his piercing stare and looks through his eyes to see what he feels. She could sense that he has a good heart and a smart head on his shoulders despite that he is slightly naïve. She could see that if he has friends by his side, he and the others will be fine as long as they stay together.

Soon they are right in front of the Kecleon Brothers' stand. Once the twins see the hero Pokémon, they grin and say, "Well, if it isn't young Crystalline, our number one customer!"

Crystal turns her attention to the chameleons, smiling formally as she walks forward to state her business. She glances briefly at Piplup and Chimchar and asks telepathically, _'What would you guys like? I'll get it for you.'_

The boys are at first startled by the voice coming out of nowhere. But since they are getting used to Crystal's mental calls since dinner, Piplup replies for them. _'Just a few Revive Seeds, please.'_

He hands his Pokédollars to the white lizard. Nodding, Crystal smiles and takes the money while taking out her own mini-bag and puts them both on the counter. As the three wait, Crystal begins to converse with her old friends. "Ah, Crystal, found more treasure, we see..." The purple sibling says grinning along with his brother.

Smiling, Crystal nods and says, "Yep. Found a jackpot," She opens her bag to reveal many gemstones and gold items to the brothers, making them stare in awe. Meanwhile, Team PokéPals are stunned.

"We need a lot of good items, including Revive Seeds..." Crystal says as the brothers inspect the jewelry to see if they are real. "The journey we're going to is a long and dangerous one, so believe me when I say that we will need to prepare for it big time."

The Kecleon Brothers nod, and after inspecting each jewel they put them back into the bag. The green twin says, "Understood. Please choose anything you like and we'll get the Revive Seeds in the meantime." With that, they turn to the side of the mini-shop and walk out of the door going into their storage compartment and leaving their store temporarily unsupervised.

Nodding, Crystal jumps over the counter and looks around inspecting some things while Grovyle and the other two stare in surprise. "They trust you enough to not steal anything?" Chimchar asks skeptically.

"Yup. When I was younger, I helped around with their store as a part time job. They would usually send me out for deliveries. So yeah. They trust me enough to not steal anything." Crystal shrugs as she inspects an Escape Orb before placing it back into its shelf. "Besides, with the cash I gave them, I don't call it stealing. I can probably buy everything if I want to."

No one says anything after they realize she has a point. The value of the gold and jewels is probably enough to buy the store itself!

As Crystal inspects through some more shelves, she comes across a rather dusty one. She quickly feels it through, expecting to find nothing and continue on to the next shelf. She pauses when she feels a rectangular object at the very end. Curious, she pulls it out slowly. She now holds a very ancient looking black box completely coated in dust. Crystal holds it with her two hands and blows the dust off inspecting the box more carefully. On the center, the box holds a strange design Crystal is somewhat familiar with. Team PokéPals also looks at it and Chimchar gasps when he sees the design.

"That's the design on my Relic Fragment!" Chimchar exclaims holding his amulet as he looks at the box and at his rock. Crystal turns around and is surprised to see the similarities both the items have. She takes a closer look at the box and realizes that the same design is carved in it. She suddenly has an idea.

"Chimchar, may I borrow your fragment please?" She holds out her hand. Chimchar looks at her slightly hesitantly. "I want to try something. I promise that I will give it back."

_'She sounds like Grovyle when we were at the Hidden Land to save the world,' _Chimchar thinks. Seeing no harm in it, he shrugs and hands the fragment to her. She smiles her thanks and holds the fragment close to the box, just letting the objects face each other for a moment. After a while, they both start to glow a turquoise color. After that happens, the box snaps open slightly and both items stop glowing. The team looks alarmed and watches in awe as the items' glows start to dim.

"I thought so..." Crystal states giving the Relic Fragment back to Chimchar. She puts the box on the counter with the back facing the anxious team. She then slowly opens the box and looks at the object inside. She furrows her brows in slight confusion with curiosity bestowing her. Inside the black box is a purple shell that looks like an ocarina of some sort.

Crystal takes it out and looks at all the sides without damaging it. It is a little faded due to the lack of use most likely. Crystal turns the shell around and realizes that one end layer is movable. She rubs the dust off, making the shell sparkle in the twilight. The three males just stare at the instrument in curiosity.

"What is it?" Piplup asks holding a fin to his chin as he furrows his brows and squints at the shell. Crystal shrugs while saying, "I have no idea. It isn't anything like I have seen before."

"Does it work?" Chimchar wonders aloud while looking at the shell. Again, Crystal shrugs. "I don't think so. It's probably too old to-" She pauses as she notices something on the bottom of the shell and looks carefully. On it is Unown writing with each small letter written in a passage of some sort.

"It has Unown writing on it," Crystal says softly and turns the flute upside down to get a better visual. Grovyle stares at her in surprise. "You know of this language?"

"Absolutely. It is one of the most sacred and complicated languages in the world. I had to study it to get to places untouched by other teams."

No one says anything as they wonder how much Crystal knows about these kinds of things. Perhaps she studies for a living or just for certain missions.

As Crystal looks at the passage, she reads it aloud.

_Great Alpha_

_Our creator, our lord_

_Will ye reveal thyself_

_In our time that is short?_

_With this Azure Flute_

_Ye will be called,_

_By thy children of heart_

_That cannot be stalled,_

_But in hands of the Dark Ones_

_Best not said,_

_Ye need to be trusted_

_By the hearts or be dead._

_'How can so many words be put into such a tiny shell?' _Is all the four can think. Meanwhile, Crystal just stares at the passage while the others look on in a pensive manner. Is this just something someone wrote for the heck of it or is it a riddle of some sort?

"It could mean anything," Grovyle says looking at the shell carefully. "I am not fond of these kinds of things, but this isn't something easy to solve overnight."

"I agree," Piplup nods while looking down with narrowed eyes and thinks. Chimchar says nothing but he fingers his Relic Fragment as he wonders how it is involved with the shell.

Meanwhile, Crystal senses something and closes her eyes. She sniffs the air to look around for the source. The boys stop pondering and look at her curiously. "Something wrong, Crystal?" Grovyle asks, concerned.

She pays him no heed at the moment. She uses her psychic abilities to find out what she is sensing that causes her inner systems to go in frenzy. She uses telepathy to sense all life forms and check their status. As she looks around, her surroundings become dark blue while all life forms turn orange. She smiles in relief as she sees that everyone is fine but freezes as soon as she sees a purple-flaming figure. From her view in the sky, it is sneaking towards them moving in a slow pace. She doesn't bother to identify who it is because by seeing the purple aura she automatically knows what it was.

Her eyes snap wide open in alarm and fear. "Oh, no," She breathes, slightly groaning as she looks around in a panicked manner. "You have got to be kidding me. Here? Now?" The team looks at her in confusion and Piplup asks, "What's wrong?"

Wasting no time, Crystal hands Piplup the shell, summons her psychic powers to make the three heroes levitate, and jumps over the counter. The boys quirk their eyebrows as she places them into the stand and summons a blue protective shield that nobody can go in or out of. At this point, the brothers come out and they are surprised to see the team in their shop and Crystal summoning a shield with a panicked expression.

"Cryssy? What's wrong?" The green brother asks, concerned. Crystal just says, "Kecleon, call Wigglytuff and tell him it's a code three. Code three, and make sure he has it." She then runs towards the direction of her friends, leaving the males bewildered.

"Um...OK?" The brothers look at each other and shrug before walking towards the storage again to make a call to the Guild Master. As the purple brother speaks, the heroes hear Wigglytuff screaming at the other end about something. Kecleon sweat-drops as he answers 'yes'. Then Wigglytuff yells some more and hangs up abruptly, leaving everyone even more bewildered.

"What's going on?" Piplup asks the brother as he returns looking slightly blank. He shrugs and says, "I dunno, but if it's enough to make the Guild Master and Crystal shaken then it must be bad." They then watch Crystal talk to her team. Once she is done, the girls' eyes widen and they immediately get right to work. They run to different spots while Crystal takes Celebi and Chansey by the arms, pulls them towards the shield, and throws them through it.

"Hey!" Celebi yells while glaring at the girl. "What's the big idea?" Chansey doesn't do anything but stare in confusion as Crystal ignores Celebi's angry outburst and starts hauling the other citizens together. She summons more shields and keeps them close, practically making the entire town quiet.

:)(:

"So what do you think it's gonna be?" Midnight asks looking at Chansey as she holds the egg in her pouch fondly and smiles. Dreavus and Celebi are also smiling while having their conversation with the female caretaker.

"I don't know, but I know it will be just perfect!" Chansey sighs happily as she hugs her egg adoringly and the girls smile. They are quite happy that their old friend is going to have a baby sometime soon.

"Girls!" Crystal's voice cries out, grabbing the Absol and Misdreavus' attention. They all turn to see that she is running towards them with a worried expression on her face. Midnight and Dreavus turn to face the other two and the Absol says, "Please excuse us. This will take just a second."

The two pink females nod in understanding and smile. The two friends of the Grovyle walk over to their leader, stopping a foot in front of her as the said leader holds a panicked look on her face. This concerns her friends. They know that Crystal is usually never afraid of anything, but if in case that ever does happen it is usually something very bad about to happen...

"Cryssy, what's wrong?" Midnight asks while tilting her head slightly. After catching her breath, Crystal rasps out her greatest fear quietly.

"A Shadow Soul is in the area."

The two Pokémon's eyes bulge as their faces pale white. They could hardly believe their ears as they stare at their impatient leader. Then Midnight asks softly, "...Are you absolutely sure?"

"Can't you two smell him?" Crystal asks back. At this, the girls sniff a little and then crinkle their noses as if they had just smelled something nasty. They then look Crystal with alarm. Dreavus growls, "Are you f**king kidding me? I thought they couldn't come this far yet! You said so yourself!"

"Crystal, are they starting to migrate faster?" Midnight asks looking side to side uneasily as she realizes that the citizens could also be in danger. Crystal sighs while shaking her head and says, "It appears they are migrating. Faster than I thought they would. It appears that one is looking for a huge feast and here it is." She says this sarcastically while holding her hands up, signaling the town.

"Cryssy, we have no time for sarcasm!" Dreavus snaps. "We need to get the citizens out of harm's way before he shows up!"

"You're right. So what are we waiting for? Get moving!" Crystal orders while pointing a finger at the town. No sooner has she said this Dreavus asks, "What about-"

"I have already taken care of the Guild! Just go!" She yells, startling them. Shrugging it away, the girls do as they are told and bolt towards opposite sides of town to gather Pokémon without questions asked. Meanwhile, Chansey and Celebi walk up and are about to ask what is going on until Crystal grabs both by the arm and drags them hastily toward the shield, weakening it a little before throwing the two through the shield. Crystal ignores their questions as she goes to another part of town and gathers Pokémon with her teammates, summoning a shield for each group and still ignoring questions. They all levitate closer towards the Kecleon Shop and chatter to themselves as they wonder what is going on.

"Cryssy, what is going on? Why are we all in protective shields?" The oldest Ursaring demands while slightly glaring at the Grovyle as she takes role of all citizens with her friends. They all nod to each other before facing the citizens, who are all confused or annoyed that their questions haven't been answered.

"Everyone, please stay calm." Crystal requests with hands up as she tries to calm the Pokémon. "We've got the situation under cover."

"Crystal, please tell us what is going on!" Pikachu yells from the crowd. He is slightly squished for the slight lack of room. "Is it necessary to keep us all in these shields as well?" He adds and several Pokémon agree by nodding their heads.

Dreavus then decides to get snappy by retorting back. "It _is_ necessary if you wanna keep your asses alive and unharmed."

"What are you talking about?" Chimchar asks, not paying attention to the ghost's abusive language as he wonders what she means by 'alive'. Several Pokémon hold questioning looks as well.

Midnight decides to explain the situation to them. "Everyone, you are not safe without Crystal's spell! There's a Sh-!"

She never got to finish that sentence because she is interrupted by a black blast hitting her square on the upper chest. The sudden and unexpected force knocks her back into a nearby tree. Everyone, including Crystal and Dreavus, backs away in alarm as they watch with wide eyes at the sight. When Midnight collides with the tree, the force is so strong that it makes the tree crack in half. But the worst is the state Midnight is in. Her face is contorted into pain as she kneels down clutching her bleeding chest. It has a burn mark deep enough to have blood oozing out profusely. The kids squeal in fear and cover their eyes while the adults stare in horror.

"Midnight!" Crystal and Dreavus cry out rushing towards their fallen team member that is about five feet away. As they hold her up, they turn to see who the attacker is and growl menacingly. The citizens turn to look as well and then gasp in horror.

In front of them is a black and red Blaziken. His arms, hair, and legs are red while his fur is pitch black. Most notably, his eyes are glowing dangerously red as if he is lusting for blood. Probably the most horrific thing about him is that his mouth, fingers, and feet are covered with dried blood. He is bearing fangs as he breathes raggedly and snarls at the team before him, lusting to feel their bodies crunching under his grip.

"Darkflame..." Crystal speaks darkly and stands up while helping her friend up. Midnight groans and clutches her wound. Crystal lets go of her friend, allowing Dreavus to hold her as the white female speaks terms with the enemy. "I should have known that you'd be the one dumb enough to come out of the migration limits..." She states as she crosses her arms in an annoyed manner and stares at the bird-like being.

The Blaziken snorts. His hands are on his hips as he sways around in a drunken manner. **"****Are you that unhappy to see me again, Crystalline?" **His voice is dark and Gothic, which matches perfectly with his appearance and aura. **"****After our little... rendezvous years ago, I would have thought that you'd stay by my side no matter what choice I make...****"**

"I would have, but once I found out what you really are under that fake skin I realized that I made the biggest mistake of my life..." Crystal growls. Her voice has a hint of venom in it that makes her not the girl everyone recognizes. The citizens are staring back and forth between the bickering enemies in bewilderment.

"You know this guy?" Riolu asks pointing at the sneering Blaziken. Crystal hesitates but nods. "Who is he?"

Crystal flinches slightly, shuddering as if the question is something that went up her spine unpleasantly. Meanwhile, as the citizens look at her expectantly, Dreavus and Midnight give each other uneasy looks while Crystal responds.

"His name is Darkflame. He and I used to work together with Wigglytuff when we were younger. He is also my ex-boyfriend."

"What?" Grovyle and Piplup both exclaim in disbelief. Everyone looks at them in surprise but the two don't care. They stare intently at the white female as she looks away in slight shame.

"**What?****"** Darkflame sneers while looking at his ex. **"****Ashamed of yourself, sweetheart? Ashamed to let everyone know that you gave yourself away to the worst enemy in Pokémon history? Ashamed to let everyone know you unknowingly betrayed your own kind for another?"**

"Don't you dare," Midnight growls heaving as she lets go of Dreavus to stand by Crystal's side. "Don't you dare say that, you manipulative bastard. Crystal has done so much for all of us; she even spares some of the Shadow Souls she comes across. So don't you even dare criticize her for anything when you're the one who did all the damage."

"Damn right," Dreavus agrees going to Crystal's other side as she supports her leader. "Talk s**t about her again and I'll give you s**t that I'll stuff down your throat."

Everyone gulps, not liking where this is going as they eye the enemies uneasily.

Crystal then forces herself to look up, a frown permanent on her snout as she looks piercingly at the enemy. "What do you want, Darkflame?"

The Blaziken sneers again and says, **"I'm not after you or dinner for once. Rather, I'm here to collect a valuable item that my boss wants. It's called an Azure Flute. You ever heard of it?"**

Immediately Crystal's thoughts go to Piplup. She calls to him telepathically. _'Hide it! Do not give it to him, no matter what!_' At this, Piplup backs away slightly to make himself unnoticed by the demon as he hides the shell behind him. Grovyle and Chimchar notice this and back away while acting innocent as well. Fortunately, the citizens are too preoccupied with the fight to notice.

Meanwhile, Crystal crosses her arms and decides to act smart while stalling Darkflame. "Never heard of it."

"**You sure about that?****"** Darkflame asks, his voice having a false sense of security in it. **"How do I know that you aren't lying?"**

"It's not like you don't do it yourself." Crystal counters.

"**Touché, my dear.****"** Is all the Blaziken says as he smirks at her.

"All right, enough of this talk," Dreavus states floating forwards as she levitates in a fighting position. "How about less talking and get to the part where we kick your butt?"

Everyone has to admit that the ghost Pokémon sure has a lot of guts. Despite that her loyalty and protectiveness of Crystal are admirable, her troublemaking side makes her somewhat reckless and rash.

The Blaziken looks amused. He is apparently unaware of how powerful the girls are. But if he does know, then he probably doesn't care. **"****You honestly think that three little women can take on a dark demon commander? One who can easily take care of an army himself?"**

"You'd be surprised," Midnight wheezes while holding a determined smile as she looks at the Blaziken. "How much we accomplish together as a team."

"Midnight, no," Crystal holds back her injured friend while holding a concerned look on her face. "You can't fight like this. Let me and Dreavus handle him."

Midnight gives her a look of pure disbelief and says, "Are you kidding? I survived through worse than this burn and I still fight! Whether you like it or not, you're not leaving me out of this one!"

"But-"

"No buts, Cryssy," Midnight smiles. "You're stuck with me to the end."

"That's what I'm worried about..." Crystal says uneasily.

Dreavus places a ghostly arm around her friend and says, "Cryssy, we've been through situations similar to this one. We can do it together; we always have. You tell us this yourself whenever we were about to give up. But you never do. So don't you say that we cannot help you after all the things you do to help us."

Crystal couldn't come up with a retort for that. She knows that the female ghost is right. Before they have met, Midnight was shy and quiet while Dreavus was wild and rude. They changed drastically within years of their teamwork. As much as she loves them, Crystal realizes that if they are all to survive she would need their help. She smiles at the girls and brings them together for a group hug. She says, "You're the best friends a girl could ever ask for." Dreavus and Midnight just grin and hug her back.

"**As sweet as your bond is, I am getting bored." **Darkflame's voice snaps rudely, making the girls break their embrace and face him with slight smirks.

"Then how about we entertain you?" Dreavus asks with a smirk, narrowing her eyes in a determined manner. Her other teammates smirk as well, prepared to kick some serious demon butt.

The Blaziken smirks back, spreading his legs as he turns to the side while holding up his fists in a fighting position. He then gestures two fingers at the girls to come get him while taunting them. **"****Humor me****."**

The citizens hold their breaths and prepare to watch a fierce and enthralling battle. Some Pokémon hold onto each other close while others stand by themselves in tense anxiety.

Dreavus starts the battle by summoning a Shadow Ball. She shoots it at the evil demon as she lets out a battle cry. Darkflame raises his arm and punches the ball away, making it land in the ocean. He then holds a black aura as he bolts forward suddenly. Crystal jumps up high while her teammates jump in opposite directions to avoid the Shadow Tackle. The Blaziken turns around and pauses, finding only Dreavus and Midnight smiling in amusement at him. He looks side to side for Crystal, confused.

Suddenly he feels something hit the back of his head that makes him fall down to his knees as he holds it in pain. Angry, he snaps his glowing eyes upwards and they slightly widen in alarm. The heroes gape, hardly believing their eyes.

Crystal is in midair. Her arm blades are glowing and slightly longer as she flaps them to hold herself in the air. She is smiling in both satisfaction and amusement. Darkflame, however, is more bewildered than before. **"You can fly?"** He asks while pointing at her stupidly.

Crystal smirks and responds, "Amongst other things," She casts a soft glance at Team PokéPals, who remains stupefied. "You'll be surprised on what I can do," She then looks back at the Blaziken and bolts straight towards him, using full speed to intensify the power. Thinking fast, the Blaziken moves aside and she comes to a screeching halt afterwards.

As Crystal tries to buy some time, the Blaziken sees his chance to use a demon move. He shoots at her shoulder, making her shriek. She falls to her knees and her team rushes to her side, concern radiating their faces. Her shoulder is bleeding badly as she holds the wound. The cut is deep and very vulnerable at this point. Crystal growls and glares at the Blaziken, who smirks at her.

"**Not so tough now, are you?****"** He sneers. Glaring even more, Crystal jumps to her feet and tackles Darkflame to the ground ignoring the cries from her friends. Both the Blaziken and Grovyle lose control and start to beat each other senselessly as more wounds started to appear. Both now hate each other more than ever. Crystal has a hard time with Darkflame due to his fire ability and demon side. The said demon has it equally hard due to Crystal's ability to quickly sense his moves and punches him just as hard as he does her. They do everything they could think of to hurt the other; from punching at their most vulnerable spots to hitting their heads against a hard surface to even twisting their bodies to make something crack. It is not a very pretty sight to look at due to all the blood painted around the area.

The citizens stay out of the fight, not wanting to get involved. They decide that it is probably safer and smarter not to be hit by either opponent even if one of them is their friend and the other person is not. The bystanders could only watch in horror, fear, and slight hope as the yells of rage and pain continue to ring across the town.

"Oh my Arceus, dude..." Pikachu states, his face slightly pale. "This is worse than when Rhyperior and Gallade fought that one time... And that was pretty bad..."

No one responds to this; all the citizens do is keep their focus onto the fight occurring in front of their eyes.

Grovyle and Piplup have absolutely no idea of what to say or to think as they watch Crystal fight for her life. Compared to the nice girl they had met earlier, this girl is fighting like a wild animal. However, they know that she is not fighting just to save herself, but she is fighting to save their lives as well. They could only pray that she would survive and save them all.

Soon, the two fighters finally break away from each other to take a breath. They both pant heavily as they kneel a few feet away from each other. Crystal now has red outlines all over her body with the blood sliding down her skin like thin rivers. Darkflame isn't looking so good either. He is losing blood from cuts, bruises, or scratches made by the Grovyle.

Crystal suddenly makes a fast move aiming towards the Blaziken in hopes of finishing him off. Unfortunately, he sees it coming and avoids being hit. Once she is close enough, Darkflame grabs her by the neck and hoists her up to his height. This rough act makes Crystal choke as she claws at his wrist and dangles her feet.

"Crystal!" Dreavus and Midnight yell and they start running towards their friend. Darkflame stops them by shooting them each with a black blast, sending them backwards to hit a large rock right on their heads. They fall into deep unconsciousness as blood seeps under their heads. The sight of the unmoving bodies makes the citizens' stomachs clench and they fear the worst. Crystal fears for the girls' lives as she tries to get out of the demon's strong grip.

"No!" She cries weakly and struggles even harder. The Blaziken pulls her close to his face and whispers harshly, **"****I'm gonna prove to everyone here who is boss. Once I'm finished, I'll have my fun with you and then take them all down one by one."**

Crystal whimpers as Darkflame drags her towards the shield, making the Pokémon start to back away. The Blaziken faces all three large shields and slams Crystal against the ground, making the Earth crack at the force.

With a sadistic smile, the Blaziken uses one hand to pin the female down on her stomach while the other hand starts to glow a black and blue aura. Seeing this, everyone stares in confusion while Crystal whimpers again and tries to move away.

"**No escape now, dear,****"** The Blaziken says as he put the glowing hand on her back and surges the dark power through her body. Crystal screams loudly in agony as her body twitches in seizure. Electric sparks run through her body as the aura starts to surround and overwhelm her systems.

Seeing the sight of her in pain makes Piplup and Grovyle's hearts clench in fear and horror. Not thinking about the situation, they run up and bang hard against the shield screaming, "LET HER GO! STOP IT!"

"NO, GUYS! DON'T DO IT!" Crystal cries looking up at the boys pleadingly as she continues to twitch. Meanwhile, the Blaziken looks up to see Piplup holding a flute in his flipper as he bangs pathetically against the shield. Darkflame's eyes glint in glee and he says, "The Azure Flute."

He stands up and starts to move towards the penguin. This makes the heroes' hearts flip in panic and they fear that the end is coming sooner than expected.

Suddenly, a blue blast hits the Blaziken square on the chest. He looks down at the wound in disbelief. He then looks at the citizens before falling down onto his stomach and fainting.

Staring at the body, everyone then looks to see who the shooter was. It was Wigglytuff, who is holding a metallic weapon of some sort that is smoking at the end of a hole on one end. He wears a frown as he looks at the demon's body.

"Wigglytuff..." Crystal murmurs weakly. Her energy is diminishing as she holds out a hand and smiles at her father weakly. "You shouldn't have come..."

"Crystalline..." Wigglytuff pays no heed to the statement as he rushes toward Crystal and picks her up with ease. Meanwhile, the rest of the Guildmembers have come as well and they look around in shock at the sight. Behind them are Captain Magnezone and his police force surveying the area. As Crystal starts to fade away, the shield disappears and everyone comes out somewhat relieved that the fight is over. Wigglytuff has put his weapon into a sheath on his belt when he goes to pick up his adoptive daughter. Some citizens tend to Dreavus and Midnight while the police tend to cage the Blaziken as they carefully inspect his body.

Team PokéPals walks over to see Crystal. "Crystalline," Grovyle speaks so softly his words are barely above a whisper. He takes Crystal's hand gently and feels a soft but weak pulse through her wrist. She smiles weakly as she squeezes his hand back and tries to assure him that everything would be all right. "I'm fine, guys."

"You don't look fine," Pikachu mutters. Riolu glares and elbows the mouse on the chest while snapping, "Pikachu!"

"No, no, it's fine. I may look horrible, but I'm really OK. I know that my friends and family are safe now." Crystal smiles at everyone before coughing weakly. "I'm not injured enough to be dying, I promise."

"I hope not..." Piplup states while looking up at her with sad eyes. Crystal smiles weakly and pats him fondly on the head. Without really thinking about it, Crystal then says, "I promise that I'll stay alive, Gavin..."

Piplup blinks and looks up at Crystal. "Gavin?" He asks.

But he is never answered because Crystal turns her head to the side and falls into deep unconsciousness.

"Omigosh!" Sunflora screams rushing to inspect her friend. "Cryssy! Is she gonna be OK?" She asks worriedly. Loudred comes over holding an unconscious Midnight while Dusknoir holds Dreavus. Both males hold worried looks while the rest of the heroes come up behind them, not sure of what to do.

"We can only hope," Chatot sighs sadly as he places a wing over Crystal's head. "We can only hope. Right know we need to get them to the Guild to heal overnight."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Celebi demands while glaring at everyone. "We need to get these poor dears better. Let's go!"

"I agree!" Corphish agrees waving his claws hastily. Everyone else nods.

"Let's go," Wigglytuff orders. He then leads the heroes towards the Guild while the citizens and police handle cleaning up the town. Meanwhile, as they walk, Piplup keeps his thoughts to what Crystal said before she fainted. _'Gavin? Why did she call me that_?'

Piplup shakes his head deciding that now isn't the time to answer those questions. Not when his friends are in pain and possibly at the point of death. So instead of worrying about the name issue, Piplup follows the Guild while leading Team PokéPals. The heroes hope that their friends and saviors will survive through the whole ordeal.


	6. Chapter 6: Story and Demonstrations

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 6: Crystal's Story and Demonstrations**

Team PokéPals and the Guild are walking through the base, holding three unconscious female Pokémon as they rush into the base. They climb down the ladder carefully before moving through the meeting room towards Piplup and Chimchar's old room.

Wigglytuff gently places his adoptive daughter onto a pile of leaves. Crystal groans as she is placed down, her eyes furrowing into pain. Dusknoir and Loudred walk around Wigglytuff to place Midnight and Dreavus onto their own separate beds. They were bleeding profusely. Even the beds were starting to drench in blood as the males make sure the girls are as comfortable as possible.

Everyone else waits in the meeting room, anxious about what is going on. Team PokéPals is very worried about what was happening.

"Gee whiz..." Bidoof says sadly while keeping his gaze down. "Those girls sure took a beating, yup yup..."

"That stupid Blaziken!" Corphish yells out angrily while waving his claws furiously. "When I get my claws on him I'll-"

"Save your strength," Chatot sighs, placing a wing over the Pokémon's shoulder in compassion. He casts a worried glance at the hallway before looking at his comrades. "Darkflame is captured and Officer Magnezone and his men will take care of him."

"I know..." Corphish suddenly sighs, lowering his gaze. "It's just that I can't believe Darkflame is back..."

"Hold up," Grovyle holds up a claw as he and the others overhear the conversation. Everyone looks at him curiously. "You mean you all know Darkflame as well?"

"Yes, it's true," Chatot sighs, shaking his head and closing his eyes. "Sad, but very true. He was one of us some time ago, but not anymore."

"What happened?" Chimchar asks in curiosity. Team PokéPals looks intrigued and waits expectantly for someone to answer.

"I think I should tell you," Sunflora sighs, sounding uncharacteristically sad as she holds up her leaf hand. She walks up to them with a sad expression and says, "I know exactly what had happened. Everyone else here doesn't really wanna talk about it."

"Why?" Piplup asks, looking up for the first time at his friends since the incident. His thoughts were still back to Crystal calling him Gavin, but then he decided to think about it later. He was quite curious about what had happened between Crystal and Darkflame that made them at the point of trying to kill each other.

Sunflora sighs again and sits down as she looks at everyone carefully. "I think you all should sit down. It may take a while."

Slightly hesitant, everyone forms a circle with Sunflora and prepares to hear her story about the matter. She takes a big gulp of air, looking nervous. Team PokéPals immediately knows that it must be bad in order for Sunflora looking so down.

"Now, about five years ago," Sunflora begins, sounding like a storyteller sharing old folklore stories to children. "Crystal was working with us and it was her graduation year. That very year another Pokémon came in. His name was Blaze and he was an amazing Combusken explorer."

"He was probably the best fire explorer I've ever seen," Chatot adds, landing beside Sunflora to share his own facts. "He had the speed to rival a pack of Luxray and the strength of a Tyrannitar."

Sunflora nods and continues with her story. "Back then, he and Crystal have developed a good friendship and treated each other like playful rival siblings. Soon, Crystal and Blaze came to me at separate times and told me that they had developed strong feelings for each other. Both were very good friends to me so you could only imagine how excited and happy I was for them. So I had told them the same thing; just tell the other how they felt whenever the time was right for both of them."

"A few weeks later I noticed that they were closer than ever. They had spent more time with each other than with their jobs and other friends. As I was about to ask what was going on, they had gathered everyone and told us that they were officially a couple. Blaze had proposed to Crystal and gave her a ring to symbolize their betrothal."

Meanwhile, Wigglytuff, Dusknoir, and Loudred have come over, making their presence known. Everyone turns to face them. They hold curious looks showing that they were listening to the story as well. Wigglytuff then sits beside Chatot while the other two sit by their own friends as they join the circle. Everyone notices that their arms were slightly covered in blood, but the heroes say nothing about it.

"It's true," Wigglytuff sighs, looking at his friends with an unusually blank and sad expression. "I knew that Blaze was good to Crystal in many ways, so I gave them my blessing. I could see how happy Crystal was and I thought nothing could be wrong with them together despite their elemental differences." He then closes his eyes in shame. "I was wrong."

"We all were," Sunflora states, patting the Guild Master's shoulder and then turns her attention back to the group. "The very day of their wedding, Blaze never came. Midnight and Dreavus were Crystal's maids of honor and Chatot was elected as priest. Corphish and Loudred were close to Blaze, being his best friends. They told Crystal that he was coming, but he never showed up."

"That is weak..." Pikachu says, casting his gaze down as he thought. "He stood her up? What kind of a sick guy would do that, especially during a chick's wedding day?"

"Despite that Pikachu may be overexaggerating," Riolu says, looking at the Guild Master. "He has a good point. Is that why Darkflame and Crystal hate each other? It doesn't explain why Darkflame hates her as well."

"That's not even the half of it." Chimecho says. At this point, all Guildmembers visibly grow tense. "We then set out to find Blaze and demand what had taken him so long. Crystal elected to go on her own to find him. That was the biggest mistake we made for our part. We should have stayed with her the entire time."

"What happened?" Grovyle asks. He is very eager to know what had happened. Wigglytuff sighs, shaking his head as tears develop in his eyes. Sunflora hesitates but continues. "Crystal then went into the first place any Pokémon would look for a fire type being: the Dark Crater."

"She found him there. Or rather, _he_ found _her_," She grimaced and noticeably trembles as she continues. "Crystal said she didn't remember much, but she said that he had evolved that day and that he wanted to celebrate his evolution alone."

"Weak..." Pikachu states, somewhat feeling awkward. An evolution was something compared to a 16th birthday, so he could somewhat understand why Darkflame didn't show up to the wedding.

"Then Crystal and he had an argument about their wedding. Soon Blaze got angry to the point of actually punching her on the face. She was horrified and just stared at him. She then said he transformed into...into...whatever he is now. He now calls himself Darkflame and works with a group of Pokémon trying to take over the universe. She automatically knows who they are due to a purple aura only she can see."

"She explained that they devour other Pokémon and that they're called... Soul Eaters? Dark Souls?" Wigglytuff looks up, trying to remember the correct name. Dusknoir automatically knows what he was talking about and asks, "Shadow Souls?"

"That's it!" Wigglytuff nods. His face then turns into one of agony. He lowers his ears and eyes, looking very upset. "After his transformation, he and Crystal engaged in a death battle. Crystal tried to stop him with hopes that there was still some sanity left in him. But there isn't. He knocked her down and then he...he..."

He then covers his eyes with his paws, weeping quietly. Chatot and Sunflora pat his back comfortingly but it didn't help take the guilt away. Wigglytuff trembles uncontrollably and says no more. This made the younger Pokémon stare in confusion, but the older ones got the idea and their eyes widen.

"You mean... he raped her?" Celebi murmurs, her face turning pale as she covers her mouth in horror. Wigglytuff sniffles, nodding briefly before sobbing uncontrollably. "_My baby. Oh, my little girl_..."

There was a tense silence save for Wigglytuff's whimpers and cries. The heroes are looking at one another with horror and sympathy seizing their veins. They could hardly believe what they had heard. Crystal, the leader of the legendary Team Gothica, was raped?

"But..." Riolu says after coming out of his shock. "She seemed so fine when we first met her. She looks like she is content and happy with her life."

"That's sort of the thing," Chimecho answers, floating over to help calm Wigglytuff before explaining herself. "After the incident, he just left her to die. He stole something precious to her and threw it away in hopes that she would never find it. She forced herself to stay awake the entire time. After he left, she managed to crawl to the beach of the island and call Lapras. He brought her back to us and we feared for her life. She lost her consciousness after finding Lapras and we took care of her ever since. She was not the same anymore. She would flinch and stay at the same spot whenever anyone but Wigglytuff, Midnight, and Dreavus comes close. A few weeks later, for some reason she pulled herself together and forced herself to be cheerful for a better outcome in any situation."

Again, there is silence. Wigglytuff is also quiet wiping the last of his tears away as he looks at the heroes and waits for their response. They look pensive, sad, and angered by the information given. After a while, Dusknoir asks, "So she never told you why she suddenly went from being a devastated victim to an optimistic person? Has anything happened then that could have conjured it?"

"Nope. She never spoke a word to any of us for weeks until her sudden change." Loudred says, shrugging. Chimchar then asks, "What exactly did Darkflame rip off her?"

"Oh, that thing." Wigglytuff shrugs, looking briefly calmed. "It was a little trinket she always carried with her at all times ever since I adopted her. She said that she had it for as long as she can remember. It was a necklace with a blue spherical diamond almost in the shape of a star."

Riolu's eyes widen upon his description. Thinking of his treasure, he pulls it out of nowhere and looks at it. He then holds it out to Wigglytuff and asks, "Is this it?"

Immediately everyone's eyes widen in surprise. Chatot takes it and inspects it carefully. "Where did you get this?" He asks softly. Riolu replies hesitatingly, "I found it at the beach a while ago and decided to keep it as a souvenir." He then shrugs. "If it belongs to Crystal then she can have it back. I really see no value in it, but if it means a lot to her then I'm not going to keep it from her..."

"Thank you..." Wigglytuff says taking the gem and holding it carefully in his paws. "Crystal would be very happy to see it again."

Suddenly, footsteps interrupt their conversation. The heroes turn to see Chansey walking out of the hallway towards them, holding some bandages and towels. The items are slightly soaked with blood along with the pink Pokémon's hands. She stops in front of the group and says, "They should be fine now. All they need is rest and they'll be good by morning."

"Thank you, Chansey." Wigglytuff stands up to hug the nurse. "It means a lot to me."

"It was no problem at all, Wigglytuff," Chansey says, nodding. "After seeing that fight, Crystal and her friends definitely needed all the medical help they can get. You can see them if you want, but try to not let any of them move." With that, the Chansey heads toward the ladder and makes her way back home.

Watching the retreating Pokémon, the heroes nod before they stand up and start to head towards the girls' room. There was silence but they walk fast as they reach the room. They saw the girls next to each other resting on their own leaf beds. They have several bandages on their bodies, especially around their heads. They look relaxed as they rest on their backs (side for Midnight's case). They breathe slowly as they sleep.

Everyone moves around to surround the beds, ensuring each hero has some space while watching the girls rest. There is silence for a while until Chatot decides to break it. "Speaking of the fight, what happened? I want to know everything."

"As do I," Wigglytuff remarked, looking at Team PokéPals expectantly. "What was Darkflame after? I know him better than this. He always comes after Crystal and something else..."

"Well..." Chimchar replies, thinking hard. "I think Crystal and the other two were warning us about him. Crystal sensed something, so I think she found out that he was in the area. He attacked while she and her team kept us in protective shields. He said that he wasn't after Crystal or dinner, whatever that meant..."

"Good." Wigglytuff, along with the other Guildmembers, let out a breath of relief. "Everyone is safe, then."

"Yeah," Riolu agrees, but he holds a confused look. "But what did he mean?"

"Didn't Crystal tell you about the Shadow Souls?" Chatot asks. "They eat other Pokémon or any living thing they can get their hands on."

"Right..." Riolu says, shivering as he tries to get that vision out of his head. "That means if she didn't, one of us could be dead now." A horrified realization crosses over him and the others.

"Correct." Chatot says and urges them on. "But if he wasn't after her or a meal, then what was he after?"

"I think it was this," Piplup answers, remembering the shell from earlier. He opens his little bag and takes out the purple shell to show to the others. "She said to no matter what hide it. I don't think she knows what it is, but the moment Darkflame asked for it she knew it was something important. She found it in the Kecleon Brothers' store and it has a little prophesy down here." He moves the shell carefully to show the Unown writing before giving it to the Guild Master.

The Guild looks at it blankly, looking curious. Wigglytuff then asks, "Could you decipher it? I can't read this language."

Grovyle reads the exact words the foreign writing foretells. When he was done, Sunflora looks alarmed and cries out in surprise. Everyone looks at her as she continues to fidget as she stares at the shell carefully.

"I think I know what it is," She murmurs weakly, holding a leaf out for the shell and then holds it carefully. Her face then turns into one of realization as she looks up at everyone. "I'll be right back. Hold this." She gives the shell to Dusknoir, who stumbles as she rushes out of the doorway behind him. Everyone gives each other a bewildered glance before Sunflora comes back with a piece of paper in her leaf. She takes the shell back and looks at the paper before giving the sheet to Loudred, practically throwing it into his face as he stumbles to hold it up. She mutters something while reading the note aloud.

Curious, everyone leans over to see what the note is, only to see that it looks like a music sheet. However, the name catches them off guard.

The title says 'Song of Life'.

Sunflora glances at everyone and says, "I'm not sure if this is what I think it is, but it's worth a try." Shrugging, she adjusts the flute with her leafy hands, brings the long tube-like end to her mouth, and plays a note.

What comes out of the shell is the most beautiful sound anyone had ever heard. As if reacting to the music, each note on the paper starts to glow along with the jewel in Wigglytuff's hands. The heroes are so enthralled by the music that they don't notice the pendant glowing until it comes out of the leader's paws, floating beside the sheet and in front of Sunflora. Loudred feels the paper tugging and it starts to float as well. Everyone backs away as the paper and jewel float in front the sunflower Pokémon, who continues to play the melody. The items continue to glow bright gold, and suddenly the girls' bodies begin to glow. Everyone notices that the bandages are fading away and the wounds are closing in.

Meanwhile, the jewel starts to take different shape and changes into a clear green orb.

Soon the song ends. Sunflora catches the orb and paper before they fall and looks at the Team resting before her. The girls look completely healed; it was as if the wounds had never existed.

"Sunflora..." Corphish gasps, looking at his comrade in awe. "How did you do that?"

Sunflora pauses, looking at the orb and sheet in her leaves before staring at the sleeping team in bewilderment. "In all honesty... I don't really know. I know this may sound crazy, but I had a dream. I saw this shell in it along with this sheet. I must have written the song in my sleep because I found the sheet beside me when I woke up. The dream also had this green orb and... A rather unusual looking Pokémon. I can't say for sure what it is but it looked extremely powerful..."

"Huh..." Was all anyone could say. Soon a tired groan snaps their attention from Sunflora to the girls. They see Midnight squinting and opening her sapphire eyes in confusion. "...Where am I?" She asks.

"Midnight," Chimecho stated moving to the Absol and giving her a hug before helping her up. "You were fighting Darkflame before he knocked you out."

"That explains the headache..." Midnight muses, rubbing her head slightly with a groan. "Owie..."

"Mmph..." Dreavus mumbles, floating upwards as she shakes her head from her dazed state. She also looks around in confusion and then says without thinking, "...How the hell did we get here?"

"We brought you here," Dusknoir replies, ignoring her language as he explains what happened. "You were knocked out."

"Bleh... That explains why the head hurts..." Dreavus mutters, swaying slightly as she forces herself to float upwards. Dreavus looks around asking, "Everyone OK? No one got hurt or anything?"

"Besides you three, nope..." Pikachu says acting smart but not meaning to. Dreavus ignores him and goes to see if Midnight is OK. Meanwhile Crystal groans, squinting when she opens her gold eyes. She looks around tiredly, looking confused. "Darkflame...?" Was the first thing she asks, sitting up while rubbing her head. Wigglytuff puts the orb behind him and hides it who knows where so he would give it to her later. Sunflora puts the flute and paper onto the nearest desk before helping her friend sit up.

"He's captured," Chatot reassures the white Grovyle. He pats her gently on the shoulder, and he notices the cut from before was gone. Crystal pauses, looking at him in slight curiosity. "How...?"

"I shot him down with your gun," Wigglytuff says, smiling in relief as he wobbles over to give his daughter a hug. She returns the hug graciously, smiling before pausing as she hears what he says and looks at him skeptically. "Wigglytuff, I thought I said to never use it unless-"

"Unless there is a demon attack," He cuts her off, smiling at her slowly processing mind. "And it was. He was close to turning you into one."

"He what?" Dreavus and Midnight yell, alarmed as they jump to their feet. They hold angry and worried looks as they scamper towards their friend. Trying to reassure them, Cryssy says, "Hey, it's all right, guys. He didn't do a lot to transform me into one. If it wasn't for Piplup," She shoots a thankful smile to the penguin. "It would have most likely killed me."

"But we aren't taking any chances, girl," Dreavus mutters giving the Grovyle a stern look. "We don't know how much hothead had infected you last time, so..."

"Indeed," Chatot agrees, looking at Crystal carefully. "Cryssy, I need to take blood tests on you again."

Crystal had a reassuring smile on her face, but it immediately turns into a frown as she hears what her secondary boss says. She holds a defiant look as she shakes her head and directly refuses. "No way. I'm telling you guys I'm fine."

"That what you said when you were poisoned by that Seviper and then you got sick an hour later," Midnight retorts, shaking her head at the stubborn girl. Crystal groans placing a hand on her forehead in frustration. "Look, I am aware that Darkflame infected me with his own blood. But other demons did as well, so this is no different. He didn't even get to second base yet..."

"Cryssy, we know as much as you do that that's not the only way to do it..." Wigglytuff replies, having a stern look as he furrows his brows in a displeased manner. Meanwhile, Team PokéPals was watching in the background along with the rest of the Guild.

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt but what exactly are you guys talking about?" Loudred asks loudly, making the argument cease as the leaders realize that the others are in the room listening to the conversation. Chatot then explains the situation.

"I am sure Crystal explained briefly about the Shadow Souls transforming victims into their own kind?" Chatot asks the heroes. They all nod their heads, anxious to know what he was getting at. "Well, there is another way to transform other than biting. The attacker shares some of his or her own blood with the victim after it is weakened."

Some of the Pokémon exchange shocked looks, some yelping in surprise while others hold somewhat revolted looks. "You mean the demons force their prey to drink their blood?" Dusknoir asks incredulously, narrowing his eye at the parrot. The bird nods solemnly. "That is correct. After the victim is weakened, the demon will either kill the prey and eat it or transform it by forcing the blood into its throat. Think of it like acid, per say. Once it reaches to your mouth, it seizes every part of your body while growing rapidly inside you. Even the tiniest drop of demon venom is lethal."

"Which is why I am very serious when I said it will be a dangerous trail," Crystal says, crossing her legs. "These creatures are not only aggressive and dangerous, but their bloodlust is nothing compared to their nature. Blood is like elixir to them; they _have_ to drink it for a living because that is all they eat."

"But what does this have anything to do with you?" Grovyle asks, confused. Crystal sighs and replies, "It has a lot to do with me because I am partially a Shadow Soul."

Everyone is shocked that she says this so calmly. She looks away as they chatter to themselves. She sighs again while ignoring their looks. Wigglytuff nods solemnly and says, "It's true. When Darkflame... well... you know... he weakened Crystal enough to force some blood into her. But it wasn't enough to completely transform her. It wasn't too low to kill her either, so it was in between. It's sort of the best way to explain it."

"So..." Celebi pauses, looking slightly shaken as she looks somewhat hesitatingly at Crystal. "Does that mean you drink blood?" The heroes look eagerly at Crystal, forcing her to look at them and tell the truth.

"Not exactly. I can still eat Berries, but once in a while I have to drink from a healthy person." She explains.

"Define 'once in a while'..." Riolu says in trepidation.

"Once every other week," Midnight sighs. "Because she's not pure demon, Crystal's sane half takes over and takes the necessities any other living being needs. But her demon side cannot survive without blood, so Dreavus and I offer Crystal our blood to help her control herself. Demons die without their daily food, and we believe the same goes to Crystal's demon side regardless of her sane side dominating her senses."

"Think of it like this," Dreavus says, holding out two ghostly hands to make a point. "Normal Pokémon's blood has all the minerals in them. Oxygen, water, protein, sugar, air, etc. Demons don't have any organs to make their own minerals, so they need to feed constantly in order to have most of those minerals flowing inside them temporarily."

Several of the heroes nod, understanding the logic. It looks like it isn't an easy choice for Crystal, especially since she is dependent on other living things just to live.

"The only thing we know that can stop demons is psychics with their magic," Crystal says looking at everyone. "That is why I gave you the crystals to wear. I put a protective spell in each one so if Shadow Souls come anywhere close, they will back off."

"And you're sure that we'll all be okay when we go?" Corphish asks incredulously. It was obvious that he didn't feel too confident with the thought of tiny gems being the only protection against demons. Especially tiny ones that would get lost very easily.

"Not without the proper equipment," Crystal replies, standing up as she stretches. "Wait here." She leaves the room quickly with her team, Wigglytuff, and Chatot. Meanwhile, the others just glance at each other, unsure of what to expect.

"Everyone!" Chatot calls, making the heroes turn to face the door. "Come over here!"

Everyone glances at each other briefly before moving towards the meeting area. They are stunned at what they see when they reach the meeting area. Instead of a nice spacious room they were familiar with, they are now seeing different kinds of unusual items they have never seen before on tables. There were many tables holding numerous weapons sorted nicely. It looked like the tables are attached to the ground.

"What are these things...?" Chimchar asks in wonder, being the first to move forwards and look at the items in slight confusion and curiosity. Everyone else does the same, equally stunned by the metallic materials. Piplup then feels a sudden pang of recognition. He felt as if he seen these weapons before...

"You're going to be armed for the journey..." Crystal speaks casually, waving her arms dramatically as she gestures to each table. Her team and the Guild leaders smile at the awed looks the heroes hold.

"These," Midnight says smiling in pride. "Are what we use to help with completing our missions and fighting Shadow Souls. Each one that we made had taken a lot of brainstorming, but the work is definitely worth it in the end." She pulls Croagunk by the arm while walking on her other three limbs. "Come on. Let's show you what these babies can do..."

Without any hesitation, everyone follows the shiny Absol. It was obvious that they are very curious about the unusual equipment and want to know how they work. Piplup remains behind, frozen in his spot as he looks at each weapon in deep thought. Crystal notices his behavior and walks over to him, letting her friends explain the weapons to the others.

"Piplup?" She asks sweetly, kneeling to face the penguin in the eye. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, totally," He nods, looking up at her. "It's just... I can't help but feel like I know these weapons... Like I saw them from somewhere before..." He then glances at his feet, ignoring the Grovyle for a moment. During this time, Crystal has a hesitant expression as she looks at him.

'_How can he know of these things...?'_ She thinks to herself, looking away briefly. '_He was in the future when I made them!'_

Ignoring the question, she decides that she is just being paranoid and that it is just mere coincidence. She shakes her head and says, "Hmm. I dunno... but why don't you come with me and I'll show you what they can do?"

Piplup looks at her, thinking it over before smiling and nodding. Crystal stands up and returns the smile. "Yeah, that sounds good..." Piplup answers, walking along with Crystal as he thinks more about the female being. His thoughts return to the fight not too long ago. He vaguely wonders if Crystal's demon side was the cause of her being out of control and thus beating the life out of Darkflame. He then remembers what she had called him after the battle...

"Crystal?"

"Hmm?" She gives him a curious look. Piplup opens his beak to speak but was interrupted by the shouts of Crystal's friends.

"Cryssy! We need some help over here!" Dreavus' voice sounds irritated and slightly strained. Crystal glances at their direction before looking at Piplup and says, "Hold that thought. We'll talk afterwards, OK?"

She then rushes through the small crowd, hearing Piplup's faint 'OK' response. When she reaches her friends, she is slightly stupefied. Dreavus and Midnight are holding onto a rather big gun that is larger than their sizes combined. Both girls had a hard time moving it toward the group as Chatot and Wigglytuff laugh over their expense. Behind Crystal, some of the Pokémon also look ready to laugh, but they manage to get by with snickers behind their hands. Crystal wanted to smack them all together on the heads for their childishness and not helping her friends, but instead she sighs and shakes her head.

She moves forward and takes the gun from her friends, making them stumble slightly in surprise. She holds it with one arm and rests it on her shoulder easily. "Thanks, Cryssy." Midnight stretches her aching back, relieved to have the weight off her. Dreavus brushes a strand of her ghostly hair off her face and nods. Crystal shrugs while saying, "No problem. Just get the weapons and we can start."

The two do what they are told as Crystal walks to the group and carefully places the gun on the ground, making sure it doesn't point at anyone. Meanwhile, Wigglytuff and Chatot got over their hilarity and go to get some weapons. There were only six different weapons, and Chatot and Wigglytuff each carried two. Chatot carries a metallic belt with his feet and sunglasses with his beak. Wigglytuff holds a small gun and a few tiny metallic balls. Midnight carries a metallic watch with her mouth while Dreavus carries a small cylindrical bar.

They dump the materials onto the large gun. Crystal nods her thanks to them and they move aside to let her do the honor of introducing the inventions to the heroes.

"OK, each and every one of you has proven yourself trustworthy to have your own weapons." At this, the heroes hold excited and flattered looks while Crystal continues, "However, these are not things you can mess around and play with. Don't abuse your privilege, as these things are dangerous and sometimes frustrating to use." The heroes quiet down but smile. "Each of these is helpful in its own way for protection, survival, and by other means."

She picks up the cylinder first, showing it to everyone. "This is the Aura Sword." She presses a button and soon a light blade beam appears on one end of the cylinder. Everyone exclaims in awe. The blade is shining a bright blue color and it hums as Crystal moves it around slowly. "It transforms your aura into a weapon blade. It is so powerful that it melts even the toughest metal into goo."

At this, Wigglytuff brings a large rock over for a demonstration. He places it in front of Crystal and nods at her to continue. She then performs amazing twirls with the blade and suddenly lunges at the boulder. She was so quick that it didn't even look like it happened. As she holds the sword in her striking position, the rock holds a burning mark where it is cut in half and then crumbles into pieces. Everyone 'oohs' in awe.

"And that is how it is done. But do not try any twirls unless you are an expert at it," She remarks giving a pointed look at Pikachu, who looks ecstatic. Meanwhile, Chatot and Dreavus are giving the same cylinders to each Pokémon, who all immediately turn theirs on. This responds to each sword having different colors.

"How come they have different colors?" Celebi asks curiously. Crystal turns her sword off and puts it into the pocket of the metallic belt she put on earlier. "Like I said, depending on your aura it will glow reacting to your inner power. So as far as the colors go, it took me and the girls a while to determine their backgrounds. But if you have red, then you're a hasty type." At this Pikachu smirks, knowing that it fits him well. "And if it is green, then you're a calm type." At this, Croagunk, Riolu, Sunflora, Chimecho, and Wigglytuff smile while nodding at one another. "If it is yellow, then you're a relaxed type." At this, Midnight, Chatot, and Chimchar nod with smiles at each other. "If it is purple, you're a sassy type." Dreavus, Loudred, Corphish, and Celebi grin as they look at each other. "And if you have a blue color, then you're the brave type." Grovyle, Dusknoir, Piplup, and Bidoof smile at one another. Crystal also smiles, knowing she has a blue aura as well. Diglett and Dugtrio reply that they do not mind not having swords; they have no hands so they found it pointless to have swords to call their own.

"Me?" Bidoof asks with emotion. "Brave? I don't think that's right..."

"Bidoof," Crystal replies, smiling as she places a hand on his head and pats him reassuringly. "It fits you perfectly. You've done things most Pokémon wouldn't dare to do and I have always admired that about you."

Bidoof smiles at her, tears forming in his eyes. But he hides them well and just nods to her, glad to have her as a friend. Petting him once more, Crystal stands up and returns to the weapon pile while adjusting her belt. Seeing this, the heroes quickly turn off their swords and go over to see the next weapon.

"This," Crystal gestures to the metallic belt. It looks like a flexible belt that has several pockets and three black buttons on the front. "Is the Repel and Locator Belt. The name itself is self-explanatory. It repels nearby Shadow Souls when you push the middle button. The first button is a locator, meaning it will search for the other belts I will give to you in a moment. They beep rapidly when you are close and beep very slowly when you are far away. As such," She presses the left button and soon her belt makes a rapid beeping sound. She then moves back from the table holding the other belts, to which the beeping sound noticeably becomes slower. Everyone looks in awe at the belt. Chimchar points at the belt and asks, "What does the last button do?"

"Oh, that. It's just an alarm system I created to wake up at specific times." She shrugs. "The girls and I fell asleep a lot when we made the weapons. It got rather annoying and it wasted too much time." Some Pokémon stare, hardly finding this helpful unless they find being woken up at a certain time by a loud blaring noise beneficial. Other than that, it was helpful in other ways. "And there are some pockets in here to put your other weapons in and a spare bag for items you want to bring."

"Sweet," Riolu says taking his belt and putting it on as he looks at it. Midnight and Dreavus hand the other belts to the Pokémon. They look at the belts briefly before looking at Crystal, who picks up a tiny gun with one hand and aims it at the ceiling.

"This is the Lock-On Gun," Crystal says stroking the gun. It is silver and about an arm's length long, having a black handle at the bottom while the sides glow a bright light. "It reads your mind and locks onto the person you want shot. Once you pull the trigger, it hits that target no matter what direction you face."

She looks around for some sort of a demonstration until she sees a bowl of berries sitting on a table nearby. Smiling, she says, "For example. That bowl over there," She points at it, and everyone looks at the bowl before looking back at Crystal. "I will think only of that bowl and I will get a perfect hit." She then turns around and aims her gun at the crowd. This makes the heroes yelp and back away in alarm. Crystal closes her eyes and pulls the trigger. But instead of anything coming out, the bowl just randomly explodes.

"Wow," Bidoof says staring in awe. He claps with his friends after recovering from their shock. Crystal bows, twirls her gun, and presses the button on the bottom of the handle to turn it off. She puts it in its sheath on her belt. The girls hand the guns toward the Pokémon, who look at them with amazement. Eventually they also put the guns carefully into their sheaths, knowing they are off since the flashing lights were not blinking.

"Next," Crystal says grabbing a few of the metallic balls. She holds two in each hand. "Are Time Bombs. Once they are thrown at an enemy, the target is frozen in place for a temporary time given. Rest assured, these bombs are not dangerous. They just make you freeze your movement for a little while; the longest recorded is an hour."

"So for example," She looks around and glances at a clueless Chatot. Smirking mentally, she looks at Wigglytuff and sends a mental message of permission. Wigglytuff pauses, thinking it over before smiling and nodding. He could barely hold back his own smirk. Grinning, Crystal looks at Chatot and slowly advances toward him.

"Crystal...what are you doing?" Chatot asks, hopping backwards nervously as he takes note of her smirk. "A demonstration." She replies simply, taking a step forward. Chatot immediately figures out her plan and squawks in alarm. "Crystal, no!"

Another step forward.

"I am serious, Crystal!"

Another step forward.

"I forbid it!"

Another step forward.

"Crystal, don't you dare!"

Another step forward.

"If you do, I swear I-"

He never finishes that sentence because Crystal throws a bomb at him. Chatot squawks again and tries to fly away, but he ends up being hit by the bomb. He freezes in midair, eyes wide and beak open for yelling. Everyone stares in awe while Celebi floats over. She waves a hand in front of the bird's face but earns no response. She then snaps her fingers multiple times. Still no response.

"Awesome..." She says, turning to grin at Crystal. The white lizard smirks while clapping her hands clean before turning to face the stunned team. "And that's how it's done." She then shoots the bird an apologetic look. "Don't worry about Chatot for now; he'll come around in an hour or so."

Everyone merely nods. Midnight and Dreavus hand out five small grenades to each person, and the heroes carefully place them into their pockets before turning to see the last few weapons. Crystal then picks up the glasses and shows them to everyone. The legs are silver and metallic with only one black button on the left leg. The lenses are pitch black, giving the item a strange appearance similar to sunglasses.

"These are what I like to call the Sensor Glasses," Crystal says, putting them on. She looks somewhat funky wearing them. "These are very helpful to others who cannot see Shadow Souls. There are five different modes when you press the black button." She gestures to the black button on the left leg. "The first one is an off mode, so the glasses are at rest and are useless unless you wanna use them as sunglasses. The second mode is used to see the status of any living being. Any orange being are normal Pokémon and those with purple figures are Shadow Souls. The third mode is to see in the dark; everything will turn green as an effect. The fourth mode is created to find any hidden items in the area you are. The fifth and last mode is created to see the aura of any Pokémon; there will be a cloudy aura surrounding every living being. The colors you saw on your swords are the same color as your auras."

As she says this, Dreavus and Midnight give the heroes their own glasses. The heroes put them on and experiment with them. They are in awe as they look at one another and laugh. Soon the heroes turn the glasses off and put them away in their pockets while Crystal and her friends keep theirs on their heads. Crystal then takes out the final and most beneficial weapon.

"The last one is my favorite one out of all the weapons," She says while picking up the mechanical watch and strapping it around her wrist. It has a metallic strap to attach each ends and a rectangular box on the top that comes with only three buttons. "This is the Communicator Wrist Watch." Crystal pauses and looks down saying, "Just push the first button on the left and see your surprise."

She then pushes the button. Soon the small box opens, revealing a tiny advanced keyboard while above the watch holograms appear. There were at least two different colored holograms hiding behind one shown before Crystal. Everyone gawks with wide eyes. Meanwhile, the heroes receive their own watches. When they put theirs on and push the buttons, they exclaim in surprise when their boxes open and holograms appear as well.

"Now," Crystal instructs. "These are holograms available only to you. It has a password and user name that you can create yourself. To do that, type down whatever name sounds good to you and whatever password you like. Be sure only you know of your password, as this will be your personal log and yours only. No one will ever be able to get in without knowing the password. To enter, just tap the upper box under 'User Name'," She taps on the hologram and it reacts by a line blinking in the box in the holographic screen. "And then type your name. You can call yourself whatever you like."

"So, if you want to call yourself the MasterMan or Sparky301, you can use that as your own name?" Pikachu asks, getting a slight idea.

Crystal nods and says, "Yes, but you can only use that user name with your password in order to get into your profile. So be very careful on what user name and password you think of and choose. These watches take in information very literally, so you better remember to write down your names and passwords somewhere or just remember them by heart."

Everyone nods in acknowledgement.

"So for example, I chose to name myself as GothicaGirl," Crystal then types her name on the mini-keyboard and her name appears on the box. "Click the lower box called 'Password'. Just type in your password," She types her password in, but instead of words, tiny dots appear. "It appears as dots for safety reasons when others try to read it, so be careful of your spelling. Once that is done, click 'Enter'." She then taps the 'Enter' button on the hologram. A new bar appears, asking the user to wait while the computer is uploading personal files. Soon a new screen pops up showing various icons. "And it is done. You have your own personal log."

She then looks at everyone's stunned expression and says, "So, be sure to type your user name and password into your holograms and then press the 'Enter' tab."

Everyone nods and gets right to work. Some of the heroes had a little difficulty typing, but after some practice they start to understand typing better and manage to succeed getting their own profiles.

"I'm not gonna go through all the other details, so just experiment around with your profile and you'll understand how to handle it in no time." Crystal says. "If you're finished using it, just press the same button on your watch and it'll turn the computer off." She presses the button again and the holographic screen shows all the data saving before turning off. The holograms disappear before the box of the watch closes, turning back into its original shape. The heroes watch Crystal and then turn off their computers as well. Afterwards they turn to face Crystal, waiting for her to speak.

"While that part may not be a weapon, this watch has two other useful things. One of them is a laser," She says while aiming at the destroyed rock from before. She presses the middle button and a red laser shoots out of a tiny hole from the front side. It hits the boulder, making the remains crumble into smaller pieces. "I suggest that you be very careful with this. It's very hot and it can easily kill anything."

"Wow..." Riolu says. Crystal continues, "And the last button is the most helpful when you need to get to high places quickly." She aims her watch at the ceiling and presses the right and final button. A claw attached to a metallic string shoots out from the same hole in the box's front side. The hook hits the ceiling and grips it tightly. Crystal is then pulled upwards by the watch, making everyone stare in awe once again. Once she is at the top, she presses the button. The claw goes back into the watch while Crystal lands gracefully on the ground. "And that's all there is to it."

"Wow!" Chimchar exclaims, looking at his watch and back at Crystal with awe. "You made these all by yourself?"

Crystal pauses, blushing slightly while rubbing the back of her head. "Well, Wigglytuff, Chatot, Midnight, and Dreavus helped me make the weapons. They came up with most of the blueprints..."

"But still! These are so cool!" Corphish says looking at each of his weapons in adoration. "It takes an absolute genius to even think of these! Thank you so much, Crystal!"

"Yes," Grovyle says while looking at the white lizard with a smile. "These will most definitely be helpful for our journey. Thank you."

His smile made something in Crystal's chest flutter. She smiles at him weakly and blushes. Due to her white skin, it is very easily noticeable. "Thank you..." She murmurs. Dreavus notices her face color and raises a brow. "Crystal, are you blushing...?"

"W-What?" She exclaims, her blush darkening as she glares at her friend. "No! I just have... sunburn, that's all..."

Dreavus gives her an unconvinced look. "...But we're inside and it's night time..."

This earns a smack on the head from the leader. Dreavus pulls back with a whine and glares at her boss, who glares back while blushing. "I'm telling you, it's nothing!" Crystal snaps viciously. She then shakes her head and faces the crowd. Dreavus huffs and says something along the lines of 'Sure, whatever...'

Grovyle notices this was the same situation he had in the beach earlier. He couldn't help but blush as he looks away. Pikachu notices this and smirks knowing what is going on. He plans to talk to the Misdreavus later; maybe they can think of something together that would benefit the both of them and the two lizards.

He then looks at the large gun on the floor, remembering that Crystal hadn't introduced it. She was too busy talking with Wigglytuff about fixing Chatot's frozen status before bedtime. Getting bored and curious about the weapon, he walks over to the gun while everyone else talks about the new weapons and plans of action. Pikachu looks at the machine thoughtfully, fingering the hard surface. Curiosity got the better of him and he tries to hoist it up. He manages to get one end on his shoulder as he puts his tiny fingers around the trigger. He adjusts it slowly and at this time Riolu notices what his friend is doing.

"Pikachu!" Riolu whispers harshly, rushing over to his friend with a warning glare. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I just want to get a better look at this," Pikachu replies. He looks over at the distracted Crystal with a large smile and calls to her. "Hey, Crystal! You forgot about this one!" He aims the gun at the wall dangerously close to Crystal and her friends while trying to show it to her. "What does this do?"

"What weapon are you-" Crystal was talking with Wigglytuff and her team until she hears Pikachu call her. She turns to face Pikachu and freezes while asking her question. She stares at him with wide eyes along with everyone else. "Pikachu, put that down!" Crystal demands. She rushes over to Pikachu and tries to take the gun from him. "It hasn't been tested yet!"

"'Yet'? As in you've never used it before?" Pikachu inquires quirking an eyebrow as he holds a steady grip on the large gun. "Well, why don't you test it now?"

"Because I don't know how powerful it is!" She replies urgently, snatching for the gun. "So please give it back before someone gets hurt!"

The stubborn Pikachu narrows his eyes and yanks the gun back, obviously showing he isn't about to let it go just yet. "Oh, c'mon! You finished it so why not give it a test ride to see if it can help us defeat the Shadow Souls?"

"It still has bugs in it! I haven't gotten a chance to finish the blueprints for it!" Crystal snaps, her patience running thin as she yanks the gun to her. "Now give it back!"

"What harm can it do if it doesn't even work?" Pikachu asks while yanking. Meanwhile, everyone looks back and forth warily as the two bicker and continue to yank the large weapon back and forth.

"Just give it back!"

"It doesn't even work so there's no harm to it!"

"I made it! I know if it will work or not!"

"So how do you know it's dangerous if you didn't even test it?"

"I just know, OK? I know what I'm doing and it's for the safety of other Pokémon!"

"I say just give it one test! It's not like it's gonna kill ya!"

"Pikachu!"

"Crystal!"

They continue to yank the gun back and forth until Pikachu accidentally pulls the trigger and powers the gun up. With gasps, everyone watches the gun shoot out an enormous blast of light that hits Croagunk's mini-store and makes the wall explode. As a result, the ground shakes and several fragments of rock and dust splatter everywhere. When the dust clears up, everyone sees a very horrified looking Croagunk panicking about his destroyed store. He has his paws on his head as he mutters unintelligible language under his breath.

The heroes stare in bewilderment with pale eyes at the dismayed Croagunk before slowly casting their gazes at Pikachu and Crystal. They both look equally freaked out. They had wide eyes and mouths slightly open in shock. Crystal then slowly narrows her eyes as she clutches her fists tightly in aggravation. Pikachu slowly looks at her, afraid of her reaction. Without a word, the white Grovyle gestures the yellow mouse to give her the gun while not keeping her gaze off the mess. Without any hesitation, Pikachu looks at the mess and nervously gives the gun back to the Grovyle. She presses a button on the handle and turns the gun off.

There is absolute silence in the room for a long time. No one dares to say anything to ease the tension. Suddenly, Chatot comes out of his paralyzed state and coughs while rubbing his neck nervously. Everyone, including the annoyed Crystal and frightened Pikachu, looks at him slowly. He then asks the next question that could possibly ease the rest of the night.

"Umm... Anyone ready for bed?"


	7. Chapter 7: Meeting and Help

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 7: Meeting and Help**

It is almost midnight now. Everyone goes to sleep, exhausted by the day's events. They want to have their full strength for the big trip tomorrow. Crystal finally comes out of her annoyed state and fixes Croagunk's shop by using her psychic powers. Needless to say, Pikachu had apologized over and over again for disobeying her and causing her trouble, but Crystal says that it is all right as long as he doesn't take her weapons without permission again and stays out of trouble.

Team PokéPals are allowed to sleep in the Guild considering how the heroes are probably worried for going outside late at night. Plus, as Crystal points out, it is possible that Shadow Souls are lurking around. The heroes need their rest after their little encounter with Darkflame anyway. As of the moment, they are asleep in the extra spare room Crystal was healed in earlier. Chimchar burnt the bloody leaves and the heroes replaced new ones for beds. Chatot has checked Team Gothica and found that the girls' health are very good thanks to the mystical flute Sunflora had used. It confuses Crystal as to how, but she decides to worry about it later and insists that she would take just it in case they would need it again. Before bedtime, Wigglytuff gives Crystal her jewel necklace, much to her shock and delight. She is happy, to say the least, as she wears it around her neck and doesn't take it off. She hugged the daylights out of Riolu as thanks, to which he responds that it is no big deal before stating that she is choking him unintentionally.

As for where Crystal and her team are sleeping, they decide to share Wigglytuff's room with her father and Chatot. Crystal and the girls have always seen the two as family, so they are allowed to share with them.

As the whole Guild sleeps, only a few Pokémon remain awake for a short while. Riolu and Pikachu sit on their beds while fiddling with their Communication Watches. They wordlessly experiment with their personal blogs and send each other wireless messages. They are ecstatic as they understand the usage better, but soon their eyes grow tired and they agree to turn in for the night. Meanwhile, Grovyle, Celebi, Dusknoir, Chimchar, and Piplup are watching the two fiddle their watches with amused looks. But soon, weariness also overwhelms their senses and they fall right to sleep. All the heroes are now asleep except for Piplup.

Piplup gazes out the room's window with slight interest. His eyes, despite being very droopy, force him awake. He can't explain why he is feeling restless and at the same time tired. He hopes that if he watches the full moon long enough, he would be lured to sleep in no time.

He nearly earns his wish until movement catches his eye. Blinking himself awake, Piplup looks through the window down the cliff to see three dark figures jumping on rocks barely above seawater. The first figure is four-legged while the second is two-legged and the last is actually floating. All three look like they are circling each other before lunging forwards for an attack.

Alarmed, Piplup jumps up to his feet and forces himself awake. He tiptoes through the base, careful not to disturb any of his friends or the Guildmembers. Thinking he makes it out quietly, Piplup sneaks up the ladder and heads outside briskly. He fails to see a pair of gold eyes peering cautiously at his direction from the darkness.

Piplup rushes out the Guild towards the cliff, looking down to see that the three figures are still attacking each other. He can hear some shouts, so he decides to intervene. He runs down the flight of stairs and around the foliage to reach to the tall cliff holding Wigglytuff's Guild. As he makes it to shore, he notices that the figures are on rocky boulders engulfed by seawater. One would think that having a fight in such an area is risky. Waves crash against the boulders, but this doesn't seem to bother the three figures at the very least.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Piplup waddles over and squints to get a better visual of what the figures are. There is a large boulder close by the shore, so Piplup hoists himself on top of it and jumps from boulder to boulder over to the figures. Being careful not to trip, he stops just a few feet away and looks at the figures carefully. When he realizes who they are, he nearly stumbles back in surprise.

In front of him are Crystal and her team. They are doing what looks like training on the dangerous and slippery terrain, blocking some of each other's moves while trying to pounce on one another. Needless to say, they are very swift and skillful on their feet. All three girls don't look ready to back down at any second. They occasionally make several grunts as they punch or kick forward, looking somewhat similar to performing expert kung fu moves. They are oblivious to the little penguin at moment, too enthralled with their training to take notice that they are being watched.

Dreavus and Midnight grunt, jumping away from their leader as their skin/fur are soaking wet. It appears they are trying to take Crystal down together but have a hard time of doing so. Panting, they gaze carefully at Crystal, who smirks and crosses her arms. A cool breeze blows through them, making some crashing water spray on them and their hair move smoothly along with the wind. Tightening their limbs, Dreavus and Midnight yell as they charge forwards. She doesn't move for a moment until suddenly jumping upwards, avoiding their attack. This ends up with the girls landing into the sea with startled yelps.

Their heads pop out of the water in a panicked manner. The girls gasp for air as they climb up a boulder and look around for their leader. They hear childish giggling and look up to see that Crystal is flying in the air with glowing blades. She holds a slightly mocking look as she smirks and laughs at them. Dreavus and Midnight glare at her while they shake the water off their fur/skin, making Crystal wet in the process.

"Hahaha!" Crystal laughs, grinning as she lands two boulders away from her friends. She doesn't see Piplup standing right behind her as she faces the girls. "Man, that was priceless!"

"No fair, Crystal!" Dreavus whines. Water still drips down from her face to her scarf as she looks at her friend. "You can't fly in training!"

"You float, so what difference does that make?" Crystal counters crossing her arms. Dreavus pauses before sighing in defeat.

"Touché." She mutters. She and Midnight walk up to their leader slowly. "But you can't just-" She pauses her movement and complaint, looking over her boss' shoulder directly at Piplup. Midnight stops as well, and after seeing Piplup she looks at Crystal with a smile. "Crystal." Midnight says while gesturing behind her leader.

Somewhat curious on what had interrupted their training, Crystal looks over her shoulder and sees Piplup.

There is silence between the four of them, save for the breeze and crashing waves. They just stare directly at each other's eyes as if reading their lives just by looking deep within their souls. After that long moment of silence, Crystal's lips form into smile as she turns around to face the small penguin.

"Piplup, good evening." She greets formally.

"Team Gothica, hi." Piplup waves slightly as Dreavus and Midnight jump over the two rocks to greet him. They shake some water off before presenting themselves to him. Piplup didn't notice it before, but Crystal seems to be practically glowing under the moonlight, her white skin illuminating like diamonds. Her blades and black marks are nearly blending into the darkness, showing how mysterious she seems to appear. Her eyes are glowing a powerful gold hue compared to her skin. Unlike her, Dreavus and Midnight don't have their own skin glowing in the same fashion. But their eyes do glow just as brightly as Crystal's are. Piplup had to wonder if they are merely reacting to the moonlight or just look better at night in general.

"Is there a problem, Piplup?" Crystal asks, her soft vocals having a hint of concern. She tilts her head as she gives Piplup a curious look. Piplup snaps out of his musings and looks up at her, pondering over her statement before shaking his head.

"Nah, I just couldn't sleep."

"I'll bet." She smiles kindly, making Piplup strangely feel like a child being spoken to by his mother. It makes him feel welcome and safe. "After all we had been through earlier this evening, I couldn't sleep either."

"But you're training in the middle of the night." Piplup states, looking at her with a curious look. Crystal smiles again. "We are Team Gothica. We have always long preferred the night to do our work, Piplup. The sun just irritates our skin, so we train and patrol when the moon is out. The moonlight gives us energy."

"Oh." Is all Piplup says. Of course, that's what Team Gothica is. They didn't just make up their name to sound powerful or cool, but the night is what they are a part of. They are night creatures. And due to the fact that Crystal is part Shadow Soul, this makes much more sense. Remembering her demon half makes Piplup suddenly feel uneasy.

"But there is something else bothering you, isn't there?" Crystal asks, automatically sensing his tension as she reads his mind. He looks up at her, and before he can say anything Crystal turns to her friends. "Girls, go patrol the area. I would like to speak with Piplup privately." She requests.

Nodding in understanding, the two members of the dark team turn around and jump from boulder to boulder to shore. They bolt through the foliage and disappear from sight. Piplup and Crystal watch them go before turning to face each other.

"Wow... You guys are fast..." Piplup remarks surprised by how fast the girls are with their feet. Crystal shrugs and says, "Eating a lot of Zinc helps us increase our speed. Since we're always in a rush, it's helpful." She shakes her head and focuses on Piplup carefully.

"My demon side bothers you, doesn't it?" She doesn't even say it as a question but as a clarified statement. Piplup looks up at her hesitatingly before nodding slightly.

"It's just..." Piplup begins, holding his flippers together as he looks at the ground bashfully. "It's just that I never expected all of this to happen so quickly. A few days ago I fought a powerful Pokémon called Darkrai." Crystal visibly tenses at the name but continues listening with interest. "And I found out he is the cause of my transformation. A few days after I defeated him, Dialga came to us and brought back Dusknoir, Grovyle, and Celebi. He said that I needed to meet you in the future. He sounded really nervous for even mentioning you. I think his anxiety has something to do with the fact that you are part demon. If it is enough to scare the Master of Time, it sounds very dangerous."

Crystal listens to every word he speaks and begins to understand his meaning. True, Darkrai is not someone pleasant to think about considering he is a Reaper who likes to cause deception and fright to even the hardest hearts. She would know; he is also a Shadow Soul. But she is not about to tell that to Piplup out of fear that he would panic about it when he has enough things to worry about. And as for Dialga, Crystal feels guilty once she remembers that she snapped at the Time Master. Why she asked him to bring the three heroes back is her secret. In time, she would reveal why later on. And despite that the penguin's prediction about Dialga being intimidated by her is a good guess, it was far from the truth. Dialga respects Crystal because of personal reasons that only they both know.

Crystal sighs, understanding his thinking about her demon side being intimidating. Placing an arm around Piplup's shoulders, she says, "Piplup, I understand what you are saying. I am afraid of what I have become as well but I don't know how to fix it. But know this; I would never hurt you or any innocent Pokémon on purpose. It's because of my sane side that keeps me from giving into my bloodlust. It is my strong sense of free will that lets me control my actions. Believe me; it is very hard to control myself. That is why I couldn't stand to be near anyone for a while after my incident with Darkflame; it was my fear of my bloodlust going out of control that made me push everyone away. After a few weeks, I manage to stabilize my demon half after finding out that I still have some sanity in me. If anything, it is a miracle that I am still here and I'm grateful for that."

Piplup is speechless as he listens to Crystal's speech. His eyes widen as he hangs his mouth open in slight awe. He knows that she must be telling the truth seeing how she is looking at him. He could tell that there is a lot more to her than meets the eye despite her unique color combo. She is... mysterious, to put it bluntly. And that makes Piplup even more curious about the girl. For some reason, just staring at her eyes triggers something into his gut, making him feel as if he knew her from somewhere before.

Crystal smiles at him in an almost knowing manner before beginning to walk with him back to shore. She picks him up and carries him across the slippery boulders before placing him down safely on the sand. As soon as they reach the shore, they feel the waves brush gently against their feet. Crystal then turns to face Piplup fully again, kneeling down to look at his eyes.

"I sense that another thing is troubling you, Piplup." She states more than asks, just as she did before. She looks at Piplup curiously while waiting for him to speak. He casts his glance down and ponders if he should ask her what has been on his mind for the past few hours. But he can't determine if it would be appropriate to ask or if the event just happened in his head. In fact, he still wonders if he is dreaming right now and that none of this ever happened for real. He would scold Pikachu for picking bad Berries when he wakes up.

Sensing his frustration and bewilderment, Crystal places a hand on his shoulder. "You can always tell me the truth, Piplup. No matter how silly it sounds or how confusing it is. If there is something that is bothering you, I am willing to help you fix it." She kindly says.

Piplup looks up at the girl's gold eyes again and makes his decision.

"Before you fainted… after the battle with Darkflame… you called me something. I think you called me… Gavin."

Crystal blinks, taking in the thought as she thinks about what he said. She barely remembers anything after her encounter with Darkflame, but once it comes to her she mentally curses herself for her slipup. How is she going to explain about that without getting suspicious?

Piplup notices how uncomfortable Crystal is by the question. She switches her gaze side to side uneasily, looking somewhat guilty as if she had been caught doing something illegal. Regardless, he has to know and she must tell him. He is wondering why she called him something other than his name, and she did promise to help him with anything. Truth being told, he feels like has heard that name from somewhere before, but he couldn't put his finger exactly where...

"Crystal?" Piplup asks looking eagerly up at the white lizard. She casts her gaze down and sighs. "Piplup, the truth is that I had blurted out the first name I thought of when I saw you. You see, I had a close friend named Gavin. He was so much like a little brother to me. We were best friends growing up together while I was in training for the Guild. But suddenly he disappeared one day. He never said where he went to or why he had gone. I never saw him again." Crystal says smiling weakly. She looks at Piplup's eyes. "You remind me a lot of him."

Piplup looks at her carefully, wondering if she is telling the truth. After a while, his skeptical look turns into one of understanding, making Crystal mentally sigh in relief. _'If I tell him the truth, he would never believe me.'_ Crystal decided to give him a different storyline, hoping that the lie would satisfy his suspicion for a little while. She only hopes that she wouldn't be caught red-handed later. But if so, she would definitely have to explain herself and tell the truth. She fears that he might think she's crazy and not believe her.

"OK..." Piplup sighs smiling up at Crystal. He now has his answer to the question that has been bothering him all night. Crystal smiles back, patting him fondly on the shoulder as he goes the next topic. "How is it that you can fly? Is it because of your demon side that gives you that ability?"

Crystal shakes her head. "Nope. I had the ability to fly for as long as I can remember. I recently learned it after my evolution. You can honestly say how surprised Wigglytuff and I were when we found out. Most grass Pokémon excluding Tropius and Hoppip don't fly. I guess it's another gift I am blessed with, but I'm not complaining. It's very helpful for many missions."

"I bet." Piplup grins. Soon the two carry on to new topics and at the same time get to know each other more. Their topics change from their likings to their adventures. Piplup trusts Crystal enough to share some secrets of what he has discovered during his travels. Crystal listens on with interest even though she has been to most of the areas he mentions. But when he brings up the topic about what the future looked like, she couldn't help but wonder what she was doing during that time area.

"So you're saying that the future was a dead wasteland?" Crystal asks. She sits against a boulder as she makes herself comfortable. She looked at Piplup, who is sitting right next to her and has his flippers behind his head. He looks up at the starlit sky.

"Yeah. That was why Grovyle stole the Time Gears in the first place. He didn't want that future to happen, so he needed to get the Time Gears to Temporal Tower to avoid darkness dominating the land. Despite that he knew it would cause him to disappear from existence, he said it would be for a worthy cause for the other Pokémon to live through and experience the joys of life."

"Indeed. Life is not something you should throw away." Crystal smiles at the thought of Grovyle's brave and considerate nature. "Even though many people don't think about it, life is a wonderful thing to have." She sits up straight and holds up both her hands. "Yesterday is history, so we can either remember it or learn from it. Tomorrow is a mystery and that makes life an adventure."

Crystal then suddenly slams a tree next to her with her fist, making several Pecha Berries fall to the ground. She catches a berry without any effort as it lands on her palm. She smiles at Piplup's stunned expression. He keeps gawking at her until a berry lands on top of his head. Glaring at the berry, he rubs his head as it rolls away from his body. Still smiling, Crystal waits until Piplup turns his attention back to her. "But today is a gift." She hands her berry to Piplup, who takes the berry and gazes at it curiously. "That is why it is called the 'present'."

Piplup looks up at Crystal, amazed by how she looks at life in such a philosophical way. He knows that she is an intelligent being, but now he wonders if she knows everything. Regardless, he is grateful to know her. He smiles genuinely as he takes a bite out of his berry and savors its flavor. Crystal picks up another berry nearby and takes a bite out of it, smiling back at Piplup. The two stay silent for a moment and eat their berries until Piplup breaks the silence.

"Crystal?"

"Hmm?"

"I was just wondering..." Piplup pauses. He looks down at his tiny feet before looking up at the white lizard with a curious look. "You said that you help Wigglytuff chart every part of the world you find. That means you must have come across many different kinds of Pokémon, right?"

"Right." Crystal nods. She holds a curious look for what he is implying on and tilts her head.

Piplup pauses again and looks down in a nervous manner.

"Did you ever come across Darkrai?"

Crystal blinks several times while taking in the thought. When Piplup looks up at her, she seems to be in a stunned daze. She shakes off her stupor and looks down at him.

"Yes, Piplup. I did meet him once." She admits truthfully. She pauses, and with an afterthought she adds, "But there is something I should probably tell you about him."

Piplup leans in close, wanting to know what is bothering the Grovyle so much and why she seems hesitant to tell him about the dark Reaper. She wonders if it is a good idea to tell Piplup. At the end, she decides that he should know in case he would face the said Dark Legendary again.

"Darkrai is a Shadow Soul." She looks at Piplup. The little penguin could swear that he feels his stomach clench in anxiety at this statement. "And to make it worse, he was elected as the demon leader some time ago."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Piplup looks at Crystal uncertainly. "Define 'some time ago'..."

"Almost about a month ago. I came across him for the first time and I can admit that it was not a pleasant encounter. He somehow manages to get to me through my dreams, so I believe that he has the power to control nightmares. That power itself is very dangerous. You are most vulnerable when sleeping, so if your mind is destroyed and it kills you, your soul shatters."

Piplup gulps, feeling nervous about this piece of information. To think that Darkrai had encountered him through a disguise in his sleep and that he had the power to kill Piplup this whole time, it was nothing compared to horrific or terrifying. It was no wonder Azuril was a wreck that fateful day. The poor little guy nearly died from the torment Darkrai plagued onto him! Piplup decides to keep his own encounter a secret, finding that since it happened only once and nothing had happened during the time doesn't make it seem like a big deal. Then again, he realizes that lying to Crystal is nearly impossible since she can easily read his mind and find out herself. To save his situation, he decides to think about Darkrai and his election as leader of the Shadow Souls. It seems appropriate due to his dark nature, but the thought of possibly encountering him again is a bit unnerving...

"But enough of this ghost story talk," Crystal says out of nowhere and shakes her head. Piplup looks up at her after snapping out of his thoughts. "It's past midnight and we both need to get some rest."

Piplup looks up at the moon's position for the time and notices that it is indeed past midnight. He stands up and stretches his back while yawning. "Yeah, you're right. We will need our energy for the journey. How far is it again?"

Crystal also stands up to stretch her legs and thinks for a moment. "From the Guild, it is about a three days walk if we rest each night."

"Really? That's almost as far as Foggy Forest." Piplup says stretching his arms. Crystal shrugs and says, "I suppose it is. Oh, that reminds me. I think it would be a very good idea to bring along Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf for the journey."

Piplup looks at Crystal in slight confusion. "They are close friends of mine. They taught me all my powers and train with me occasionally. With their help, our protection from Shadow Souls is guaranteed. I'll see if I can gather them before dawn."

"You sure? You should get some rest." Piplup says giving Crystal a concerned look. Crystal doesn't say anything but gives him an amused smile. Piplup then realizes his ignorance again and smiles sheepishly. "Right... I gotta start remembering that you and your team are nocturnal people."

Crystal laughs and the sound of her laughter is melodic as she grins down at the penguin. "Of all the things we have been addressed as, I have never heard us being called 'nocturnal'." She shakes her head. "Anyway, just get some rest, Piplup. By morning, I should be back with the Legendaries. If I am not back by then, tell everyone I am still getting them together and will return shortly."

Piplup nods. "Okay. Thanks for your time, Crystal. It is an honor to know the leader of Team Gothica personally." He bows his head respectfully.

Crystal then gives a dramatic bow with a smile. "Same thing goes to you, Piplup. It is an honor to know the savior of our world as well."

Piplup smiles while blushing. Somewhat flattered, he stammers, "Well... g-good night."

"Sleep well, Piplup." They nod at each other their farewells. Crystal leans forward to plant a soft kiss on his forehead before turning away to leave. She smiles at his stunned look before jumping over the foliage and disappearing in the forest.

Piplup is paralyzed from shock, his eyes wide as his arms remain outstretched. He then shakes off his stupor and blushes a bright red color. He figures out that it is just a friendly gesture and smiles before turning to head back to the Guild. But he stops as soon as he comes face to face with Grovyle.

Grovyle holds a surprised look and crossed arms as he looks questioningly at Piplup.

"Oh, hey Grovyle." Piplup waves to him and forces himself to stop blushing. Grovyle doesn't say anything for a long while as he stares hard at Piplup. After a long moment of silence, he asks, "What are you doing up in the middle of the night?" His voice is noticeably harsh and scolding. "You need your sleep."

Somewhat startled by his tone, Piplup looks up at him in slight anxiety. "I was just talking to Crystal about some things. I couldn't sleep anyway."

"About what?" Grovyle's tone holds a hint of incredulousness.

"The usual. We got to know one another and she told me that Darkrai is the Shadow Soul leader. So I need to be aware of my surroundings from now on. She is also going to get Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf to help with our journey." Piplup doesn't bother adding the detail of reminding Crystal of her old friend. He thinks it is just mere coincidence that has nothing to do with their mission. That is going to be between him and Crystal alone, and he figures that the female lizard would want to keep it quiet as well.

Fortunately, that answer seems to satisfy Grovyle. However, he still holds a stony expression as he looks down at Piplup. But when he hears Darkrai mentioned, he raises his eyebrows in slight surprise. "Darkrai is a Shadow Soul, huh? That explains why he sounds as dark as you claim he is."

"Yeah," Piplup nods in agreement. Grovyle continues with his questioning. "And Crystal is grabbing the three Legendaries, you say? For what?"

"To help with our protection. They are psychics, so I figure Crystal wants their help to increase our safety from the Shadow Souls. I think she is close to them in a family sense."

"Hmm." Grovyle says and nods in understanding. Dropping his arms, he then says, "All right then. Well, like Crystal said, we better go to bed. You will need all the energy you can get by morning."

Somewhat startled, Piplup wonders how much Grovyle has overheard him and Crystal talking. He figures that Grovyle has just come in at the end of their conversation, otherwise he would question about their other topic involving the Gavin issue. But Piplup pushes the concern away as he nods in agreement. Side by side, the two start to walk through the foliage towards the road to head back to the Guild.

Meanwhile, Grovyle is feeling somewhat aggravated but keeps his thoughts to himself. It started when he wakes up and finds Piplup missing. He looks around outside for the penguin until he hears voices near the cliff. Curiosity getting the better of him, Grovyle finds Piplup and Crystal talking near the shore of the rocky terrain. He hides himself and listens into their conversation from how far their destination is to everything after. They have said their farewells and Grovyle was about to confront them until he sees Crystal kiss Piplup on the forehead. For some reason that action made him freeze.

He knew that he was surprised by the affection and that it was merely a friendly gesture coming from the female lizard, but it doesn't explain the angry pain that erupts in his chest. As he watched her leave, for some reason he develops deep anger with Piplup and this confuses him. He feels like he wants to protect Crystal from the small penguin and beat Piplup senselessly for no reason. The thought shocks him more than anything. Piplup is his friend; he would never do anything to hurt him. But it still doesn't ease the fury rage inside him. Regardless, he decides to keep his thoughts to himself, thinking his annoyance is caused because of his exhaustion. He really needs to go back to sleep.

But it still doesn't explain the powerful anger he randomly develops, so he decides to ask Dusknoir about it later. Hopefully the older ghost knows what is going on with him.

It is a silent walk towards the Guild until Piplup breaks it. "Hey, Grovyle?"

"Hmm?" Grovyle looks down at the little penguin, his eyes holding a curious glint. Piplup pauses as he looks up at Grovyle. He could have sworn that he has the same look Crystal wears when she waits for an answer. But Piplup isn't going to mention that since it isn't the thing that is on his mind.

"Out of curiosity, did I have a name when I was a human?"

Grovyle blinks at the randomness of the question before staring at Piplup questioningly. It is obvious that the penguin wants to know for either out of curiosity or for just bringing up a topic. Grovyle thinks hard about the question before answering.

"Well, I mainly just called you Piplup because you liked that species so much. But your birth name is... Gavin, I think."

There is a long pause of silence as Piplup stares hard into Grovyle's eyes, hardly believing his ears. He reacts quickly and says, "Gavin. Hmm, sounds cool. OK then, thanks."

Grovyle notes the slight skittishness in the little bird's tone, but he decides to shrug it off. "No problem." He responds coolly.

With that, they return to the Guild still lost in their thoughts. They quietly sneak back into their room without waking anyone. As they make themselves comfortable in their beds, Grovyle is sound asleep once again while Piplup is still enthralled with his own thoughts.

Grovyle said that before he transformed his name was Gavin. Hearing that his real name is what Crystal has accidentally called him made him even more lost in his doubts. He may be naïve but he isn't stupid. Wigglytuff has never said anything about Crystal having another close friend in her younger years. And with the fact that all the Guildmembers said that only Flame (Before turning into Darkflame of course), Dreavus, and Midnight have been her close friends for life, Piplup comes up with the disheartening conclusion that he wishes isn't true.

Crystal has lied to him.

:)(:

Crystal watches Piplup walk away with Grovyle and smiles. She is looking from a distance of the main road at their retreating figures. She turns on her heel and is about to look for her friends when she suddenly sees them standing behind her, smiles plastered on their faces as they look up innocently at her.

"I was just about to come get you guys," Crystal chuckles, holding her hands on her hips as she looks at the girls coolly with half-lidded eyes. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

The two shake their heads and share their own inputs.

"Nada. No demons within range."

"Everyone is safe and sound asleep."

"Good." Crystal nods in approval and is about to say something when Midnight cuts her off.

"Did you tell him?"

"Who?" She asks cluelessly at first, although she has an idea of who the shiny Absol is talking about. The said dark Pokémon rolls her eyes and repeats herself more clearly.

"Did you tell Piplup about your relation with him?"

Crystal pauses and looks at her. She then looks at Dreavus, who also looks intrigued. Crystal hesitates at first before sighing in defeat. "No, I haven't."

Dreavus groans in annoyance, closing her eyes as she face-palms herself. "Cryssy, you gotta do it sometime. He's gonna find out sooner or later that you're his sister, and it's better coming out of you instead of someone else in public."

"I know." Crystal groans in annoyance. She then adds irritably, "But that would be an interesting topic in the middle of the night. 'Hey, Piplup. It's nice to meet you. By the way, I happen to be your long lost sister that you never even knew about!'" Crystal holds up her hands dramatically as she proves her point to her two best friends.

There is slight silence coming from Midnight and Dreavus. They glance at each other, unable to come up with a retort. Snorting, Crystal crosses her arms and shakes her head. "My point exactly. I don't think he'd take it very well considering what is going on right now. I will wait for the right moment to confess."

There is another silence between the three friends. Before Dreavus and Midnight could say something, Crystal cuts them off. "Right now I got a job for us that needs to be done tonight. Did you get all our weapons?"

"Yup." Midnight randomly pulls out three belts holding all the weapons in their respective pockets from behind her. She hands Crystal two of them while putting on the third belt. "I got them while everyone is asleep. Courtesy of Dreavus, of course," She shoots a grin at the ghost female, who bows dramatically as if she had just done an amazing trick in front of an audience. Snorting, Crystal shakes her head again as she puts her belt on and presses the repel button.

"While you go through walls and steal stuff," Dreavus pouts at this comment while putting her belt on. "I have already told Piplup that we will be going to pick up three certain friends of ours."

The girls hold looks of confusion before Dreavus groans. "Please tell me they aren't Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. Or A.K.A: the Three Losers of Life."

"Those are exactly who I mean, Dreavy," Crystal says shooting a slight glare at the smoky being. "And they aren't losers. They are our friends."

"But why?" Midnight asks tilting her head curiously. Unlike Dreavus, Midnight doesn't have a problem with the three Legendaries as far as Crystal is concerned.

"Because they are good and they help me with my-"

"No, I mean why do we need to go get them?" Midnight corrects herself, slightly annoyed by Crystal's slight ignorance. Crystal then answers, "Because they are the best psychics I know of. We need their protection, especially since I am aware that Darkrai invaded my brother's mind not too long ago."

The two friends widen their eyes in alarm. "You mean..." Dreavus starts.

"Yes. Ever since I have heard of Darkrai's defeat, I was suspicious about if he has affected Gavin through his dreams. That is another reason why I wanted to come get him; if Darkrai has affected him in any way through his dreams, I would know. I practically smelled the aftermaths of his attack."

"Piplup told you that Darkrai invaded his dreams?" Midnight asked skeptically.

"No, but I read his mind. I could sense he was trying to hide that memory from me. He doesn't want me to worry. But I am correct; Darkrai has invaded his mind. Fortunately, he didn't do anything other than manipulate Gavin; that's about it."

"Good." Midnight sighs in relief while wiping her forehead. "The little guy got it off lucky. Did you tell him-?"

"Yes. He knows that Darkrai is a Shadow Soul and what he is capable of." Crystal interrupts the Absol with a nod. Dreavus holds a look of annoyance as she asks her question.

"And what does this have to do with getting the Three Losers of Life?"

"First off, stop calling them that," Crystal snaps, glaring irritably at her friend and poking her on the chest. "They have names, you know." Dreavus just snorts, not at all affected by Crystal's tone. "Secondly, like I said, they are powerful psychics. During our journey, we will most likely be invaded by Darkrai through our nightmares. Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf are the only Pokémon I know of that can help repel his invasion."

"OK, if you say so," Dreavus sighs shaking her head. It is obvious she is not willing to go along with the plan, but Crystal would have none of it. Crystal then says, "Okay, to save up the time we have left, we need to split up. Midnight, you go get Azelf at Crystal Cavern."

"Okay," Midnight nods in acknowledgement. Crystal knows that since Midnight once lived in Crystal Cavern before she joined the team, she knows Azelf personally.

Crystal turns to face Dreavus. "Dreavy, you go get Mesprit at the Underground Desert. And please, for the love of Arceus, do not try to kill each other."

"Fine. I'll behave as long as she does," Dreavus grumbles glaring to the side. Crystal knows that despite Dreavus and Mesprit are close to her, they hate absolutely everything about each other and would always end up in a cat fight. But if they are to complete their mission, they will have to suck in their differences and work together. Crystal only hopes that they would come back to the Guild in one piece.

"And I'll go get Uxie. But I need Dreavus to warp a Dimensional Hole in order for me to get there. Otherwise it'll take days to reach Foggy Forest." Crystal says. Dreavus shrugs and replies, "OK."

Crystal then nods to her friends. "I'll meet you back in the Guild by morning. If you have trouble, then you know what to do." By 'what to do', she is implying that they would use their weapons for protection or call each other with their Communication Watches for help. They all nod in acknowledgment before Midnight turns on her heel and bolts down the road, disappearing into the forest towards her destination.

Turning to face Dreavus, Crystal nods in confirmation. Nodding back, Dreavus closes her eyes and focuses. Soon, a glowing portal appears in midair and Crystal jumps right through it, disappearing in thin air. As the portal disappears, Dreavus shakes her head from slight weariness. Then the ghost Pokémon pulls herself together before taking off to a different direction from Midnight, heading towards the desert at the east.

They all brace themselves as they hurry to their destinations. All in the while, they avoid fighting Pokémon as best as possible and hope that the three Legendaries would help them with their mission.

:)(:

Midnight pants as she runs through the outskirts of the forest. She soon comes across a large cave that is unusually colored blue. As she goes through the entrance, she is greeted by millions of glittering crystals of different shapes, sizes, and colors. However, she is not affected at all by their brilliance. When she lived here, she was too used to the brightness. Right now she is too busy with her mission to give the gems much thought. Instead, she struts down the cold cave and keeps going until she comes upon three huge crystals.

She sighs and shakes her head as she goes to touch each one. Each contact makes the large crystals change different colors. She makes all three gems turn blue before backing away. The crystals start to glow before creating a lightning flash forming a new doorway fashioned by more crystals from underground. Nodding to herself, Midnight walks through the doorway into the hidden chamber.

As she walks through different floors, she is greeted by several of her old friends. They smile widely as they welcome her back. She returns the smile before continuing on her way through the cave. Soon she comes across a massive doorway and walks right through it.

She stops at the entrance and looks around the room, marveling the beauty bestowed to her. She is in what looks like an underground lake made up of just water and pure crystal. Above her are several sharp crystals dripping with water, so she decides to be careful by how loud she is in case the vibration is strong enough to make the crystals fall. As she makes her way through the crystal surface, she looks around for something before her sights stop at a large crystal-shaped bridge heading towards the center of the lake, which holds nothing but more land.

She walks over to the bridge and looks ahead, stopping at the middle curve. But to her disappointment, she finds no signs of life anywhere.

"Hello?" She calls out, her voice slightly soft but loud enough to create an echo in the cave. She looks around to find someone, but the only sound she finds other than her echo is water dripping from the crystals. Frowning, Midnight walks down the bridge and rushes to the tiny speck of land in the middle of the cave, careful not to slip and crash in the water or sharp gems. As she stands in the middle of the island, she still finds nothing.

"Hello?"

Again, no response. She suddenly hears movement and turns around to see a huge crystal floating in midair aiming directly at her. She shrugs, not thinking about it before turning look on ahead. When what she sees adjusts to her mind, she freezes. With wide eyes, she turns to face the crystal again and notices that it shoots towards her like a bullet. As it comes closer by the second, Midnight squeals in alarm before jumping to the side. The large crystal crashes into the once perfectly formed land surface and remains implanted there.

Bewildered, Midnight turns to see that three more huge crystals are aiming at her. Like the first, they launch at her with speed to rival lightning. Midnight has to jump and dodge to avoid being hit by any of the crystals, but the attack doesn't stop her shrieks.

"AZELF, YOU CRAZY TWO-TAILED JERK! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? IT'S ME, MIDNIGHT!" She yells at the top of her lungs. Soon enough, she becomes grateful when the crystals above stop their movements in reaction to her screams.

Soon the crystals lower down as a familiar shape forms from the water. It takes form of a small blue cat-like creature with a blue turbine-shaped head. Once it takes complete shape and form, it looks like a blue cat that has two tails with rubies and another ruby on its forehead. It slowly opens its yellow eyes in slight curiosity and confusion.

It takes one look at Midnight before speaking.

"Midnight, is it really you?"

Midnight sighs in relief, coming out of her little barricade of damaged crystals thrown at her earlier. Surprised, Azelf immediately drops the large crystals into the lake as he floats towards the Absol. He holds a somewhat happy and calm expression. Midnight nods with a slight smile and says, "The one and only shiny Absol. Of course, I'd still be shiny even if you try to kill me." She smirks.

Azelf rubs the back of his head sheepishly, blushing as he looks away. "Yes, I apologize for that. Next time I'll check who comes in here before I unintentionally kill my close friends." He looks at Midnight carefully. "Is there a problem, Midnight? How are Dreavus and Crystal doing?" He couldn't help but be concerned for his other two friends, especially Crystal. Despite that Dreavus treats him like crap, he cares for her as well. Crystal is a different story, though. He cares for her as he would care for a sister, so he is genuinely worried why Midnight came without her or Dreavus.

"They're both doing good," Midnight says. She then shrugs as she goes straight to the point. "Actually, Crystal sent me here to ask for your help."

Azelf frowns and asks, "What is the matter?"

For a good ten minutes, Midnight explains everything that has happened to Crystal. She explains from finding out about the Shadow Souls to Crystal's need of help from him and his other two counterparts. She leaves out the part of Piplup being Crystal's sister. She knows that it is best for Crystal to keep the secret to herself and to her team only.

As soon as she finishes, Azelf is quiet as he puts a hand on his chin and gazes at Midnight thoughtfully. "So you have found out about these monstrous creatures called Shadow Souls, who are being lead by Darkrai, who has infected Piplup through his dreams. You are preparing for a journey with Piplup and Wigglytuff's Guild to fulfill a prophesy made about Piplup. But you need my counterparts and me to protect your group and especially Piplup from being disturbed by Darkrai's nightmare control and possibly any other Shadow Soul assault?"

He says this all within one breath, so if you don't pay close attention you could easily get lost within his statement. However, since Midnight is smart and quick, she nods and says, "Yes. You and I both know that Crystal would never come to any of you for help unless she knows that it is very serious."

"Indeed," Azelf nods in agreement. Sometimes Crystal would occasionally visit him just to talk or to train, but she had never asked for any help. Plus, Midnight is right. Whenever Crystal needs other people's help, it is usually very serious. "If Crystal needs our help for this journey, then I am more than willing to accompany you. She has been good to us and has proven to earn our trust." Azelf says.

Midnight sighs happily in relief. Just one down and two more to go. Azelf looks around his cave carefully before asking, "Speaking of Crystal, where have she and Dreavus run off to?"

"We need to leave by this morning, so we split up to come grab you, Uxie, and Mesprit separately," Midnight explains. "Crystal went to go grab Uxie while Dreavus finds Mesprit."

"Dreavus is after Mesprit?" Azelf quirks his eyebrow in a skeptical manner and crosses his arms. "You do realize that they hate each other much more than Zangoose and Seviper do?"

"Oh, yeah," Midnight shakes her head with an amused look. She visualizes the image of Mesprit and Dreavus in a catfight and smirks. She then shakes the thought away and grows serious. "But Crystal assigned us to our destinations, so what our boss says goes." She shrugs.

"Hmm." Azelf says. "Then I am ready to go with you at any time. Shall we head to your base tonight?"

"If you're up for it. We're staying at the Guild, but we have our own base nearby that you and your counterparts can use."

"But what about-"

"Don't worry; we don't use it much anymore. We're staying with Wigglytuff in his Guild after… something that happened not too long ago, let's just say," Midnight hesitates, looking somewhat uncomfortable as she remembers the fight with her leader's ex boyfriend and the aftermaths it created. If it wasn't for Sunflora and the mysterious flute, Team Gothica would probably be dead or still resting in the base. But Midnight doesn't dare say anything to Azelf; if he wants to know, he is going to have to talk to Crystal about it. The Absol is not in the mood to talk about her humiliating defeat.

Azelf senses her hesitation, but he decides not to press further onto it. If Midnight doesn't want to talk about it, then it isn't his business unless she wants it to be. But he could sense that it affects her badly, and he really wants to help rid the feeling and leave it forgotten. Regardless, he shrugs and asks, "Shall we get going?"

Midnight shakes out of her thoughts and nods quietly. And just like that, the two head out of the underground lake towards the entrance. Midnight runs fast while Azelf floats and catches up with her. They set their sights straight to heading back to the Guild.

All in the while, Midnight turns on her watch and emails to Crystal that she has successfully added Azelf to their team and is heading back towards the Guild with the Legendary for a good night's rest.

:)(:

"Why did I have to be the one to grab the stupid pink brat?" Dreavus grumbles to herself, slumping as she floats towards the entrance of the underground oasis. She looks around the lake cautiously before making her way towards the shore, listening to the dripping sounds of water.

The cave itself is pretty but somewhat eerie if one is scared of being alone. The closer you go, the deeper the lake seems to be until it reaches the other side of the cave. Some sharp rocks stick out of the water, looking like long needles from a distance. On land, there is soft and wet dirt, making Dreavus somewhat grateful that she can float for this case. However, she is not happy about the fact that Legendaries seem to disappear at the most inappropriate times when they are needed most.

Finally, after looking around in silence for a long while, Dreavus loses it.

"MESPRIT! BITCH! I KNOW YOU ARE AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE! SO STOP WITH THE MYSTERIOUS EERIE SILENCE AND SHOW YOUR UGLY PINK FACE!"

There is absolute silence for a while save for the echoes caused by Dreavus' shriek. Even the water seems to stop dripping in fear of aggravating her even more. The air seems to still in response to her outburst, as if she is daring for anything else to move so she would have an excuse to go in for the kill.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a small figure looking like a large drop of water appears floating in midair from the middle of the lake. It has a round shape until it takes the form of a small cat-like creature that has two tails with rubies on the center and another ruby on its forehead. As it changes its form, it also grows two long pieces of what looks like hair on each side of its head before it changes color. It has a small blue body with a pink head and yellow piercing eyes. The mysterious Pokémon gives Dreavus a heated glare as it starts floating over to shore.

It crosses its arms as it floats towards the ghost Pokémon, looking as if she had just woken up and was looking for the source of her rude awakening. Dreavus smirks; she loves to torment this girl so much. How they are allies other than through Crystal is a mystery.

After a long moment of silent glaring, they greet each other bluntly.

"Dreavus."

"Mesprit."

"Tell me," Mesprit says rubbing her eyes tiredly as she yawns. "What makes you come into my humble abode uninvited to so rudely wake me?"

"Cut the crap, Mesprit," Dreavus snaps glaring at the female psychic with piercing red eyes. "Crystal needs you and your counterparts' help." Dreavus carries on explaining about their latest discovery involving Piplup and how Crystal needs the Legendaries' help. Like Midnight, she doesn't bother adding about Piplup's relation to Crystal. No point getting the girl worked up if Mesprit questions her about it later.

As she finishes, Mesprit is silent but she doesn't lower her glare as she thinks over what Dreavus says.

"So you're telling me that Crystal wants me and my counterparts to go with her because she knows that we can repel dark magic from these Shadow Souls and she also needs to keep Piplup safe in order to get to this new place?"

"Yes, that is about it," Dreavus says flatly, holding back a smart reply of 'You're smart for a psychic'. She was not in the mood to fight with one of the Pokémon she despises most, especially Mesprit. She is too tired to even consider it anyway. Plus, she did promise Crystal that she wouldn't attempt to fight the Legendary before they return to the Guild, so she is going to have to be as nice and tolerant as possible for her friend's sake. Wanting to get moving, Dreavus asks, "So, you up for it?"

Mesprit pauses, softening her gaze as she thinks. She then shrugs and says, "Very well. I will accompany you with your journey. I have no doubt that Midnight and Crystal have already grabbed Uxie and Azelf. But," She holds a skeptical look as she gazes carefully at the female ghost. "How do I know that you're not pulling a prank on me again?"

Dreavus looks up at the Legendary in aggravation. She doesn't have time to toy around with the Legendary; all she really wants to do is just go back to the base and get some sleep. "First of all, do I ever come to you just to pull a prank on you? And secondly, you're the telepath so you tell me."

Mesprit curses to herself after realizing that Dreavus has a point. She knows that Dreavus wouldn't even come a mile close to the desert just to bug the crap out of the pink feline. Plus, she indeed reads the ghost's mind and finds out that she is telling the truth. The pink Legendary sighs in defeat. "Fine, you got me. I'll come along with you and Crystal for your mission."

_'Finally...'_ Dreavus mentally sighs. Without another word, she turns around and starts floating towards the entrance with the pink creature following. They exit out the cave and up through the sinkhole easily with their levitation and speed. After dusting sand off themselves, they race through the desert to the forest towards the Guild. All in the while Dreavus uses her watch and sends a message to Crystal about her success having Mesprit join their cause (without a fight) and that they are both heading home to get some rest for the night.

:)(:

Crystal jumps from tree to tree in the Foggy Forest, wearing her Sensor Glasses as she moves briskly through the foliage. She has just jumped out of the black portal Dreavus had summoned for her earlier and lands in the middle of nowhere. This doesn't affect her one bit. She knows the forest like the back of her hand even though it is a foggy wasteland. She uses her digital glasses to see in the eerie darkness. Once she knows of her location, she bolts towards a destined direction.

She soon comes across a rather warm cave entrance. She stops right at the mouth and studies the hard surface. She puts her hand on the wall and senses a lot of steam flowing through the rocky substance. Deciding to not waste any time going through the dungeon, Crystal steps back and outstretches her arms. As soon as her leaf blades glow brightly, she flaps her arms and forces herself to fly upwards into the sky.

She flies up high hoping to see a large chunk of land supported by a tiny stem of rock (she could never figure how that works out even through physics). She flies up higher until she notices the fog starting to disappear. Smiling to herself, Crystal flies faster upwards until she sees clearly out of the fog. She looks directly at the speck of land being supported by such a small stem of rock. The hidden island is mostly just a large lake with some portions of land surrounding the water. There are walls surrounding the island, but some holes are at the corners so water from the lake flows freely down to the ground, acting like waterfalls. Wasting no more time, Crystal floats forwards and lands on the rocky surface a distance away from the lake.

She suddenly feels the ground shake as she walks forwards. She stops her movement. She notices that pebbles are trembling as she feels the ground move. She frowns in confusion. How could there be an earthquake if this island isn't even on Earth's ground, so to speak? If that is the case, then the whole island would crumble down from its support and crash into the forest.

Then she thinks again and uses her common sense to find a reasonable solution. She suddenly hears a roar from a distance suspiciously close. The ground starts to shake even more as Crystal notices the roars growing louder. She sees a large figure coming from the lake and pauses.

Coming up to her, the figure reveals its true identity to Crystal. Groudon glares menacingly down at Crystal as it lets out another piercing roar and stomps towards her.

Crystal looks up at the Pokémon in slight surprise before frowning again and staying in her spot. "Right. I forgot about that little trick Uxie uses..." She sighs shaking her head. When she and her team came up to the island for the first time, they were greeted by the same hologram of Groudon. When they defeated the hologram with ease, Uxie greeted them afterwards. Despite that he has been thinking about erasing their memories, Crystal insisted that she and her team mean no harm by any means and promise to keep the island a secret if he wants it kept quiet. When Uxie looked at her carefully, he looked as if he has seen her before from somewhere. He then stated that he will take her word for it only for the sake that he can sense that she is a strong being with a steady mind and pure intentions. It is then that he has gathered his two counterparts and they all agree to train Crystal to her full potential with her psychic powers. Why, Crystal honestly doesn't know. During their training, the Legendaries have grown close to Crystal and her team (excluding Dreavus sometimes). Truth being told, Uxie is rather fond of Crystal as he would be fond over a little sister. When she has succeeded her full training, Uxie and his counterparts have said that she and her friends are welcome to visit them at any time. But right now it is apparent that he doesn't realize that he has just sent out another Groudon hologram at Crystal...

"Hello, Groudon hologram," Crystal says without any humor and crosses her arms. The Groudon pauses as it looks down at her curiously. "Remember me? I'm Crystal. I'm a friend of Uxie, and I need his help." She speaks her terms to the hologram, remembering that it is somewhat alive since it is a part of Uxie's mind. She knows that Uxie made sure that the hologram would not harm her if she ever comes to visit. All she needs to do is explain her reasons for coming to the island to the hologram. Once she does, the hologram would stand aside and let her enter the lake.

Groudon tilts its head as it gives her a somewhat perplexed stare. Soon it gives a somewhat eerie smile as it nods and stands aside, gesturing for Crystal to enter the lake. Apparently it has understood her words and is allowing her access. Satisfied, Crystal smiles and nods at the hologram. "Thank you."

All the hologram does is just nod before disappearing into thin air with a flash of light.

Crystal moves through the slightly narrow cliff as she makes her way to the lake. She takes off her glasses and puts them into their pocket on her belt. Crystal still has her arms crossed as she stops at the very edge of the cliff and looks down at the deep lake. She has to admit that it looks beautiful at nighttime. The moon reflects through the calm waters, making the lake somewhat like a huge mirror for the starlit sky. The center of the lake glows for some reason and brightens up the underskirts of the lake.

Suddenly the mood is shattered as Crystal hears a loud splash coming from the lake. Alarmed, she tilts her head up while rapidly taking out her Aura Sword and summoning the burning blade out. She twirls the sword around expertly and prepares to fight.

She sees a water blob rapidly springing upwards to face her. Crystal tenses as she holds her sword up high and prepares to strike but stops herself. She watches the tiny blob taking shape of a blue cat with rubies on its forehead and two tails. Soon it takes full shape and is revealed to be a blue cat-like creature with a yellow turbine-shaped head and closed eyes. It seems to look at Crystal with a bewildered frown.

"Crystal? Is that you?"

"Uxie. It's so good to see you again." Crystal smiles in relief and quickly turns her sword off before putting it back into its sheath on her belt. She continues smiling as she takes several steps closer to the Pokémon. Uxie holds a stunned look before smiling politely at the lizard.

"As it is nice to see you again so soon, Crystal." Uxie nods before holding a thoughtful look. "Is there a problem? Where are Dreavus and Midnight?"

"I need your help with something, Uxie." Crystal holds a serious look as she explains everything to the older psychic. She starts from her discovery of a new dungeon to the discovery of Shadow Souls to the prophesy involving Piplup and how she needs Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf's help for the journey. She doesn't bother telling Uxie about her relation with Piplup since she fears that he wouldn't understand or take it seriously. Plus, that is her business and Piplup doesn't know yet either. She only hopes that neither Dreavus nor Midnight told the other counterparts about it.

As she finishes her story, Uxie holds a more thoughtful look as he stares at her. "But why do you want to protect Piplup so much?" He asks incredulously. He couldn't help but wonder if there's something she's not telling him that may be crucial to the problem.

Crystal mentally curses to herself. Uxie is always the hardest Legendary to trick. He is always aware of some loopholes about certain things, and that makes him the smartest but most difficult Legendary to lie to without being caught. However, Crystal knows that he trusts her indefinitely and she hates to lie to him after all he did for her. So she decides to go around with the truth. She replies honestly, "Because Piplup is needed for this prophesy to be fulfilled. Why, I do not know. Plus... to be honest, he's like a little brother to me. I'd hate for anything to happen to him."

Uxie still holds a suspicious look for a while. Fortunately, he accepts the answer and nods. "Yes, Piplup is a very noble person." He pauses, thinking for a moment. He then says, "...Very well. I will accompany you with your journey. When do we leave?"

"This morning." Crystal replies smiling in satisfaction. "That's why the girls and I separated. I had to get Dreavus and Midnight to go grab Azelf and Mesprit while I came to get you. But..." She trials away, and Uxie understands why she hesitated.

"But now you have no way to get back to the Guild by morning," He finishes for her with a sigh. He shrugs and adds, "That's OK. I will warp us to the Guild."

Crystal smiles and grabs the psychic for a hug. Startled, Uxie gazes at her in surprise but doesn't protest. "Thanks, Uxie." She murmurs. Uxie cracks a small smile as he hugs her back. "It's no problem. I'll be right back..."

With that, Uxie floats away quickly to where Crystal arrived at and is gone. Soon he comes back and says, "I have to leave my hologram in charge until I get back." Crystal nods in understanding. "All right, then. Let's go." He holds out his hand to her. "Take my hand and don't let go until I say otherwise."

Crystal looks at his hand before taking it. Uxie then concentrates on his powers to teleport them to their destination. Meanwhile, Crystal sneaks a quick glance at her watch and sees that it is about a quarter to three in the morning. She notices two texts on her computer and quickly accesses to them. They are from Midnight and Dreavus. Crystal reads the messages quickly.

_Got Azelf. I'm heading back to the Guild with him to sleep for the night. He can sleep in our old base with his counterparts. I'm sleeping in Wigglytuff's Guild._

_Got Mesprit (without a fight, for once! :P). I'm heading back with her to the Guild and we're going to sleep afterwards. She can sleep in our old base with the other counterparts. I'll stay in the Guild for the night._

Crystal smiles, glad that her friends have succeeded in getting the other counterparts (and quite proud of Dreavus for not killing Mesprit). And she has to agree that the Legendaries resting in their old base is a good idea. After all, the girls don't really use it anymore but it is still clean and spacious enough for the Legendaries to be comfortable resting in for the night.

Her thoughts shatter when she notices that she and Uxie are floating in midair. Uxie's raised palm starts to glow brightly as he continues concentrating. Crystal immediately closes her eyes tightly, bracing herself for the teleportation. Soon after a flash of light, they are gone.


	8. Chapter 8: The Departure

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 8: The Departure**

"UP AND AT 'EM! IT'S MORNING!"

Loudred's loud voice booms through the room, startling poor Team PokéPals awake. As the heroes shake their heads awake, Loudred disappears into the hallway and leaves them to moan about their rude awakening.

"M-my head's pounding..." Grovyle groans as he clutches his head, his eyes swirling in a daze. Right next to him, Dusknoir and Celebi are equally stunned as they hold their throbbing heads. "What a ridiculously loud voice!" Dusknoir exclaims in irritation as he rubs his eye tiredly. Celebi groans as she rubs her head.

"Damn it, Loudred," Pikachu snaps. He glares at the doorway and scratches his back. "His loud voice is starting to piss me off..."

"Everything annoys you, Pikachu," Riolu retorts rubbing his ears as he looks coolly at his friend. The yellow mouse turns to face the jackal and is about to start an argument when Chimchar breaks them apart. "Not now, guys. Since we're up, we may as well go get ready for the day and head to the meeting."

There are several grumbles from the Pokémon, but the heroes agree that since they are already up they may as well get ready for the big trip. Soon they sit up from their beds and stretch their aching muscles as they yawn. Piplup stands up, lost in thought about Crystal. His eyes furrow in frustration and puzzlement.

Why did she lie to him? Unless, it could be a mere coincidence. Yeah, that must be what it is. Piplup trusts her indefinitely. Since she promised that she would always tell the truth, then like it or not he must take her vow. After all, if they all are to go on with this mission together, then the heroes need to be able to trust one another. Besides, Piplup cannot prove otherwise that Crystal is lying.

He then decides that the debate is not worth worrying about at the moment. Looking at the others, he says, "C'mon, we better get to that meeting."

Nodding in agreement, everyone follows the little penguin out the bedroom and towards the meeting room. They find every Guildmember standing in their appropriate spots while talking to one another. Piplup notices that the tables from last night have disappeared; probably back to the way they were in the adjustable ground. The little penguin also notices that the Pokémon already have their equipment on, showing that they are ready to go at any time.

Speaking of Crystal, he sees her jump down the ladder with her friends safely onto the ground. They stand next to the ladder and speak to each other privately. As Piplup watches Crystal, the lizard senses that he is staring at her and looks over her friends' shoulders at him. She smiles and winks at him before resuming talking with her friends. This friendly action makes the small penguin blush.

"Hey, Pip," Riolu says looking at his leader with a curious look. "You doin' OK?"

"Huh?" Piplup looks at Riolu, snapping out of his stupor as he fakes a smile of reassurance. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little warm, that's all." He admits truthfully, suddenly realizing how hot it really is for early morning. The Pokémon surrounding them are slightly sweating and fanning themselves as they speak with each other.

Riolu nods in agreement, fanning himself as he watches the rest of Team PokéPals walk to the Guildmembers and join the conversations. "I don't blame you. It's supposed to be so hot that the water will boil." He then furrows his brows. "Dunno if that's possible, but you get the point."

Piplup smiles and is about to say something when suddenly Chatot's voice speaks out, calling the heroes to take their spots. Wordlessly, the heroes take their seats and Team PokéPals decides to stand close to Piplup and Chimchar. Meanwhile, Team Gothica stands close to Wigglytuff's door and waits for the announcements to begin.

Soon Wigglytuff comes out and the Pokémon do their daily routine shouts and quotes. Afterwards, Chatot begins to give the announcements.

"As you all know, Team Gothica has come to us yesterday asking for help with a new mission," He outstretches his wing towards the girls' direction. At this, everyone nods in acknowledgement and lets Chatot continue. "And the girls have explained to us that this mission will be very dangerous. So they have generously given us some protection weapons we can use. Under no circumstances whatsoever will anyone fool around with these tools." He gives a pointed glare to Pikachu, who smiles innocently as if he has no idea what the parrot is talking about. Shaking his head at the mouse, Chatot then asks, "So is everyone completely prepared for the mission now?"

Piplup hesitates and is about to raise his flipper to speak when Crystal beats him to it. "Actually, Chatot," she starts, holding up a finger to stop his speech. This makes the parrot look at her questioningly. "I have a few things to give to everyone. After the little... predicament last night, they barely had any time to shop for items. It's perfectly understandable."

Chatot says nothing but nods and gestures for the lizard to continue. Nodding her thanks, Crystal looks back at the group and says, "I do have a few things to say to you all before we go. If Chatot has anything else to say about the trip, then-"

"No, no," Chatot shakes his head. "That is all I intend to say other than sorting everyone into groups. Go ahead."

Crystal nods and looks at the group. "OK. Now, first things first. I am sorry for distracting you all from shopping yesterday, so I bought you all the items you need as my thanks for saving me and my team." Out of nowhere, Crystal and her friends pull out several mini-bags out. The girls then toss the bags over to certain Pokemon before Crystal tosses the last gray bag to Piplup. Looking at it curiously, Piplup opens the bag to find many Revive Seeds piled inside. He smiles at how thoughtful Crystal is. He is about to close the satchel when he notices a small paper falling out of it. Frowning, he picks up the note and reads the message silently while his friends look over his shoulders at the note curiously.

_Thanks for distracting Darkflame. Had you not, I would have been transformed into a Shadow Soul._

_Crystal_

_P.S.: We appreciate you taking us in and healing us, and we thank you for your support. Midnight and Dreavus say hi. Look up._

Blinking, the heroes look up at the three girls, who smile and wink at them. Piplup and Grovyle blush while their friends smile or wave back politely.

Nodding at them, Crystal turns to face everyone else.

"As you are also aware, I am part demon through my past," She speaks carefully and adds, "So, just as a heads up, it is wise for you to stay away from me at night during the mission since I still have to control my bloodlust."

If Crystal had this before yesterday, everyone would have been shocked by such a thing. However, since they already know of her demon side, they just nod in understanding. Crystal holds up a finger to add one more detail.

"And one more thing; I have invited three other Pokémon to join us with our mission for protection reasons."

Everyone murmurs to themselves and Bidoof asks curiously, "Who?"

Crystal smiles and she holds up her arms and gestures for three figures suddenly appearing out of nowhere above her. They take the forms of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf smiling as they warp in casually. The sight of them makes everyone shout out in shock. Only Piplup and Grovyle don't shout since they already know that the Legendaries are coming.

"The Guardians of Life! Oh my gosh!" Sunflora exclaims. She holds her cheeks with her leaves as her mouth drops open in shock.

"No way!"

"Gosh..."

"Cool!"

Everyone lets out outbursts until Crystal speaks. "These three, as you know, are the Legendaries of Life. I personally know them since they have taught me all my psychic powers. They are close friends to me and my team."

"To _her_," Dreavus coughs loudly to avoid being heard by the lizard. Midnight sighs irritably and smacks the ghost upside her head, making the ghost girl bite back a yelp.

Ignoring her friend, Crystal continues, "They have agreed to join us on this mission by setting up more protective shields from the Shadow Souls." She then holds a cautious look as she glances at Piplup. "And as another warning, Darkrai is the Shadow Soul leader." Several gasps are made and Crystal continues despite the Guildmembers' obvious panic. "So I want you all to be very careful when you sleep. Darkrai has the abilities to control nightmares if you are sleeping alone, so sleep in groups to be safe. Stay within the circle that we'll assign each of you to be in."

Murmuring to themselves, the Pokémon nod in acknowledgement.

"So, any questions?" Crystal clasps her hands together and looks at anyone who might be confused about something. After several more moments of silence, she assumes that no one has anything to ask. She nods and says, "Very well then. We will leave in approximately twenty minutes, so if there's something that you have forgotten to do, make it quick. This meeting is over."

With that said, everyone starts to walk out the ladder to make preparations while Team PokéPals, Team Gothica, the Guild Masters, and Legendaries remain behind. Grovyle and Piplup stare at Crystal, not sure of what to do since they have all their materials ready. Team PokéPals is ready to go so the Pokémon are just waiting to leave at any time. Deciding that eating a quick breakfast sounds good, Team PokéPals heads towards the Mess Hall.

"Well, I'm glad that you three could make it," Crystal speaks directly to the Legendaries. She smiles at them as she brings them close for a hug. Surprised at first, the three Legendaries smile as they return the embrace. "We are definitely going to need your help." Crystal adds as she lets go of the hug.

"Of course, Crystal," Uxie says with a nod. He holds a somewhat bemused smile as he looks directly at Dreavus and Mesprit floating far away from each other. "However, I'm surprised that neither Mesprit nor Dreavus had tried to kill each other yet."

"Hey!" Mesprit whines, pouting as she crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at the wise Legendary. Dreavus holds an annoyed look as she grumbles, "Why does everyone keep thinking that we are gonna kill each other at any minute? I brought her here without a single scratch, now didn't I?"

"But did you make any insults or snap at each other?" Midnight counters. Remembering their encounter last night, neither Dreavus nor Mesprit spoke. "Exactly." The Absol smirks.

"Face it, guys," She continues as she shakes her head in amusement. "You cannot stand to be next to each other and stay quiet for at least five minutes."

"Oh yes, we can!" The two girls say haughtily as they glare at the shiny Absol with determined eyes. To prove themselves, they push poor Chatot away and forcibly stand next to each other with slight grimaces on their faces. They try hard not to give each other glares as they look at Midnight.

Midnight sneers at them. She crosses her arms as she sits down on her back legs and begins to count slowly. "1 Pokémon Explorer... 2 Pokémon Explorers... 3 Pokémon Explorers..."

She continues counting while Uxie, Wigglytuff, and Chatot shake their heads at them and watch the twitching girls in amusement. Azelf and Crystal smirk and also shake their heads. Suddenly, the blue Legendary gently nudges Crystal.

"Hmm?" The Grovyle looks at him curiously. Azelf holds a somewhat nervous look as he rubs his arms and casts a quick glance at his counterparts. He then quickly looks back at Crystal. "Could I talk with you... privately?" He asks.

Crystal quirks an eyebrow at this, but she shrugs as she lets the Legendary take her hand and pull her towards the other side of the Guild nearby the Mess Hall. As he stops, neither he nor Crystal notices that Team PokéPals has finished breakfast. The heroes stop moving once they hear Crystal and Azelf talking.

"Could I ask you something?" Azelf asks nervously as he glances around anxiously to see if anyone is listening.

"What's wrong, Az?" Crystal asks in concern. She has never seen her Legendary friend nervous before, and she is genuinely concerned about what is bothering him. She knows that it must be important if he is showing his fearful side to her and asking for her help. Meanwhile, Team PokéPals takes note of this as well as the heroes hide behind the door and peek over the doorway to look at the two Pokémon facing each other.

"More of advice, per say..." Azelf begins, bashfully rubbing the back of his head as he glances down at his feet. "You're a girl and..."

Crystal blinks. Somewhat bewildered, she crosses her arms in a fake annoyed manner. "What about me being a girl?"

Azelf loses his self-confidence and he suddenly blurts out, "What is that you girls like?"

Now thoroughly confused, Crystal stares at him blankly. "What do you mean?"

"Like..." Azelf switches his gaze side to side uneasily as he tries to put his words together. "Say that there is this girl that I'm interested in and I wanna impress her…"

Crystal blinks again and her eyes widen in surprise. Team PokéPals is just as surprised as Crystal is when the heroes hear Azelf's statement. Suddenly, Crystal smiles knowingly.

"Does this have anything to do with Mesprit, by any chance?" She asks casually. Azelf flinches at the name and he casts a quick look over at the said pink feline before he looks back at Crystal shyly.

"...Yes..."

"I knew it!" Crystal murmurs to herself softly. She swings a fist triumphantly over her chest and grins at Azelf's confused look. "That explains why you are so shy around that girl."

Azelf blinks in surprise. "You mean... you knew?"

"Of course I have known," Crystal pats Azelf's shoulder gently. "My team also knows. In fact, Dreavus has made a bet that you'd be the one to tell Mesprit of your feelings. Midnight bet that Mesprit would have feelings for you and tell you first."

Azelf just blinks again.

"Anyway," Crystal smiles as she holds a curious look. "You and Uxie are pretty close and I think that he knows as well. So why are you asking me instead of him? After all, he is the being of knowledge."

"I know," Azelf sighs and shrugs his shoulders cluelessly. "I just don't know if he does know about it yet. And since you are a girl, I have the feeling to ask you about what girls might like since you can relate to them."

"Point taken," Crystal nods in agreement. "Well, let's start it simple. How about giving her flowers?" She suggests simply.

"...Flowers?" Azelf repeats blankly.

"Yes! Girls love flowers. It's a sign of affection if a guy gives his crush some sort of a gift, and flowers are the most common source of gifts. Here's a suggestion; give Mesprit her favorite flowers as a head start. You do know of her favorite type, right?"

"Well... She likes lilies-"

"Well, there you go!" Crystal gestures with a swing of her hands. "That's a good start." She then begins to list a series of rules that she knows that would mostly improve any relationship. "Rule number 1: always know about what your crush likes; it gives them a good starting belief that you know them personally. Rule number 2: don't ever be seen by her when you give the flowers; it's more fun for the both of you when she tries to figure out her secret crush. And rule number three; if she finds out, then admit it truthfully and tell her what you like about her."

All Azelf does is just stare at Crystal weirdly. "...What the hell, Crystal?" Is all he says, thinking that she must be joking. Crystal holds a satisfied look as she crosses her arms and smiles, not finding Azelf's language insulting but amusing since he rarely ever swears. Meanwhile, Team PokéPals is in the same league as Azelf is. The heroes are completely baffled by what they are hearing and they find the topic somewhat interesting.

"I'm serious," Crystal states proudly. She glances at Mesprit slyly before she looks back at the bewildered blue Legendary. "It's that simple."

"...Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"As in absolutely sure?"

"Yes."

"As in 'sure sure sure sure sure?'"

"Yes."

"As in 'Oh my Arceus I make Surely Sure Sure Unsure?'"

"_Yes._"

"As in-"

"Damn it, Azelf!" Crystal snaps quietly, irritated by Azelf's lack of confidence as she glares at him. "Yes, I'm sure." Her outburst makes Team PokéPals and Azelf flinch at her unexpected harsh tone. After a moment of taking a breath, Crystal's gaze softens as she places a hand on Azelf's shoulder. "I'm sorry Az, but your lack in confidence is very overwhelming to me. If you don't have the guts to even talk to Mesprit, then how the hell do you expect to be with her?"

Azelf is about to say something, but he closes his mouth when he realizes that Crystal has a point. Every time he would try to speak to Mesprit in public or in private, he would always stammer or blurt out things awkwardly, making him feel idiotic sometimes. He would then wonder vaguely if things could ever work out between him and his counterpart.

Seeing Azelf's hopeless and distant look, Crystal pats his back reassuringly. "Just try out my advice and take it from there. Just don't be too obvious and act as if you have never expected it to happen to her. Act as if you haven't give them to her in the first place; it'll make it fun. Also, give her other things that she might like other than just flowers; it'll perk her curiosity even more."

"…You sure?" Azelf asks again. Crystal just groans and places a hand on her forehead. Calming slightly, she replies patiently, "Yes. If you're still unsure about something, then come to me and we'll talk."

This seems to satisfy Azelf because all he does is just nod. Then he floats back to his Legendary counterparts. At this point, Midnight is finishing her counting slowly and very unnecessarily slowly.

"294 Pokémon Explorers... 295 Pokémon Explorers... 296 Pokémon Explorers..."

Dreavus and Mesprit groan together. Their bodies twitch and it takes all of their willpower to avoid moving away from each other. Uxie, Wigglytuff, Chatot, and now Azelf and Crystal watch the girls with hopeless looks and shake their heads in amusement. Meanwhile, Team PokéPals takes this as a cue to come out acting as if the heroes haven't witnessed anything. They come to the Pokémon with either bewildered or amused looks.

"297 Pokémon Explorers... 298 Pokémon Explorers..." Midnight holds a mischievous smirk as she comes up with an evil idea. "... 298 Bulbasaur... 298 Ivysaur... 298 Venusaur... 298 Charmander-"

"Wait, what the hell, Midnight?" Dreavus snaps angrily. She glares furiously at the Absol that is trying hard not to laugh. "What are you doing? That doesn't count!"

"I'm counting all the Pokémon species numerically, so yes it does count! Now, 298 Charmeleon... 298 Charizard-"

"Damn it! Just get on with it already!" Both Mesprit and Dreavus screech at the top of their lungs with clenched fists. The heroes jolt up a foot in the air and their eyes widen in surprise. Only Team Gothica doesn't respond, but Midnight and Crystal hold annoyed looks at the barbaric tone. Then the Absol sighs in defeat.

"Alright. 299 Pokémon Explorers and 300 Pokémon Explorers," She shakes her head and glares irritably at the satisfied floating females. There's no point getting them worked up over something but it sure has spoiled Midnight's fun. The Absol slightly pouts. "Happy now?"

"Yes!" Both females exclaim as they move as far from each other at one end of the group as they could reach. They shoot each other nasty glares as they brush their bodies. Crystal merely signs in exasperation and shakes her head.

"That was interesting..." Dusknoir's voice interrupts the scene. Everyone turns around to see that Team PokéPals is standing nearby looking confused and amused at what has just happened.

"You guys ready for the journey?" Crystal asks, mentally thankful for the interruption from the quite pointless scene as she makes her way towards the heroes. The others look relieved as they listen to the conversation curiously.

"Yeah," Piplup nods. He pulls out the mini-bag that Crystal has tossed to him earlier. "All we really needed are the Revive Seeds; we have already packed up some food and other stuff for the journey. Thanks again, by the way."

"Of course, Piplup." Crystal smiles at the penguin before she looks at the other Pokémon. "So you guys are all ready to go?"

Everyone nods quietly. Then Celebi floats over to the grass Pokémon with excitement clouding her eyes.

"Yes, we are! We are gonna have so much fun all together; I'm sure of it. After hearing the stories that Piplup and Chimchar have told us, it'll be fun camping during the night." Celebi pauses and looks thoughtful as she stares at Crystal curiously. "That reminds me... Will we be camping during the day or at night?"

"Now, Celebi, what a-" Grovyle starts to reprimand Celebi for asking such a foolish question when Crystal cuts him off. "That's a good question, Celebi. Since my team and I are creatures of the night, we prefer to move out at night. However," She holds a careful look as she studies everyone. "The Shadow Souls are very active during the night and they very rarely move during the day. So we should travel by day."

At this, Midnight and Dreavus' eyes widen slightly in alarm. They step up and look at their boss in concern. "But, Crystal, we can't do it! You know that-"

"I will be able to handle the sunlight for a couple of days," Crystal says coolly as she looks calmly at her team. "I did it many times, so it'll happen again."

"But your friends have a right to be concerned, Crystal," Uxie says softly. He also looks slightly worried. "With you being part demon, the sun could very well diminish your energy."

"Wait, they know that she's a Shadow Soul?" Pikachu asks stupidly. Riolu nudges him to be quiet.

"Hold up," Celebi stops the argument briefly, looking confused. "What do you guys mean?"

The team and Legendaries hesitate as they glance at one another uneasily. Wigglytuff decides to step in.

"Well, you see, Team Gothica has long preferred the night for a reason. For one, Dreavus is a ghost type and Midnight is a dark type so they are more functional at the night. But Crystal, thanks to her demon side, has a more serious case. The Shadow Souls are always more functional during the night. They absolutely hate the sunlight. So if Shadow Souls ever face sunlight, their skins burn badly until they completely wither away into dust."

At this, everyone's eyes widen in alarm. The Pokémon look at Crystal for confirmation. Seeing her narrowed gaze at the ground and hearing no defense, they take it as the truth and grow uneasy.

"Since Crystal is part demon," Mesprit explains as she looks at the team. Apparently, she has gotten over her earlier torture with Dreavus. "She can withstand light within a few days' time. The maximum time that we have counted is about three days. Otherwise, Crystal's energy will diminish."

"And without Crystal, we're pretty screwed over during the mission by the Shadow Souls," Pikachu finishes as he gets the idea. The heroes sigh and nod as they give Crystal slightly sympathetic looks while she keeps her annoyed look at the ground. As the members of PokéPals think, they realize that this is going to be harder than it looks considering their choices. If they do travel by day and have Crystal protect them at night, then that would be terrific. However, they might lose Crystal during the trip and they could end up being leftover food for the Shadow Souls. In addition, if they travel by night, then their chances of encountering the Shadow Souls are even higher. This would be very dangerous, and if their luck slims then they might still lose Crystal. Indeed, this is a difficult predicament...

Piplup thinks of something and quickly pulls out his map of the Pokémon world. He then waddles over to Crystal and asks, "Crystal, where exactly is this place that we're heading to?"

Crystal turns her head to look at Piplup before she sees the map shown before her. Not really thinking about it, she points at an area between the sea and mountain that is almost near Palkia's realm.

Piplup nods and looks at from where they are nearby Treasure Town back to where she is pointing at. Trailing the area, he calculates possibilities and asks aloud "Well, there are a lot of forests out nearby the mountains, right?"

"Aye?" Dreavus nods and floats over to Piplup, looking curious. Piplup then looks up from his map with an idea forming in his mind. "Well, we could travel through the forests during the day and at night we can come out in the clearings. We can stay close the edges of the forest so we won't get lost nor will we be too close to broad sunlight. At night, we'll camp out at the clearings."

Everyone blinks in surprise by his sudden knowledge and thinking. However, Crystal smiles as she pets Piplup fondly on the head. "That actually doesn't sound so bad. Good thinking."

Piplup smiles back.

"Then that's what we'll do," Dusknoir clarifies as he crosses his arms. "Plus, I have heard that it's supposed to be very hot for the next few days. The sun will be scorching all week."

"Very well." Wigglytuff nods. "Then we will travel in two groups through the forests during the day. The tree's branches will hopefully-"

Before Wigglytuff could finish, the heroes hear talking and turn to see that the Guildmembers have returned. The Guildmembers climb down the ladder with various handbags in their arms.

Loudred comes up to Wigglytuff as the Guildmembers line up in their spots. "Guild Master, we are all ready for your confirmation to proceed." Wigglytuff nods to him, and the echo Pokémon moves over to his spot. Then the heroes move to their spots while they make themselves comfortable.

"Now," Chatot begins as he mentally takes roll of everyone present. When he sees all the Pokémon accounted for, he sighs in relief and continues his speech. "I assume that since you all have returned at once that you are all ready?"

Everyone nods.

"OK, then. There will be two teams separated accordingly. Team One will consist of me, Wigglytuff-"

"Wait, why do I have to go with you?" Wigglytuff whines, reminding everyone again of what happened the last time when they explored Foggy Forest. Chatot, used to Wigglytuff's behavior, replies patiently, "Because since you cannot handle yourself, you will need supervision. I will be there to make sure that you don't lose yourself."

Wigglytuff sniffles and everyone vaguely wonders if he is going to start another tantrum before he pouts. "...Meanie."

Besides him, Crystal and her team giggle at his behavior. They find it amusing and cute. Even the three Legendaries smile as well.

"Now then, as I was saying," Chatot sighs as he turns to face the Pokémon. "The first team will consist of me, Wigglytuff, Dreavus, Uxie, Loudred, Corphish, Diglett, Croagunk, and Dugtrio ('_YES!_' Mesprit and Dreavus exclaim mentally, making Crystal roll her eyes at them)." The said Pokémon nod quietly, finding this assemble appropriate.

"Team two will have Midnight and Crystal as the leaders. It will consist of Mesprit, Azelf, Sunflora, Bidoof, Chimecho, and Team PokéPals." Chatot looks at everyone to see any signs of discomfort and asks, "Is this okay with everyone?"

Since it does sound fair, everyone nods.

"Very well," Chatot nods. "Then we are set to leave. So let's go." He then looks to Diglett and Dugtrio. "Be sure that every door and secret shortcuts are locked." The father and son nod and disappear, planning to catch up with the Pokémon later.

"Okey-dokey!" Wigglytuff beams and he smiles at everyone. "Let's go!" Soon the Pokémon raise up fists and cheer before they head towards the ladder. Soon they begin their journey.

All in the while, no one has seen two pairs of narrowed eyes watching them through the window. One pair is glowing sea green while the other pair is bloody red. As they watch the Guildmembers leave, their eyes stay glued strictly onto both Crystal and Piplup, who are next to each other and the last in line leaving.

"**So, it looks like that they are on a treasure hunt again**_**,"**_ The one with scarlet eyes muses. The owner moves his eyes away to look at the owner with the green eyes.

"_**It appears so,"**_The one with green eyes says. The owner closes his eyes before he turns his head to the figure with red eyes once Crystal and Piplup are gone. _**"And yet they are aware of the consequences for entering my territory."**_

"**Master... Have I done what you asked**_**?" **_The being asks, sounding slightly hesitant despite his dark and Gothic tone. The green eyes somewhat soften as the owner nods his head.

"_**You have done well, Darkflame." **_The ghostly being holds a somewhat annoyed tone as he glares at the said Blaziken. _**"However, I am a little disappointed that you were defeated by your own ex-girlfriend's father. Then I had to save you from prison."**_

Darkflame wisely says nothing as he stares pathetically on.

His 'master' then shakes his head, waving the thought away. _**"But no matter. We now know what they know. We will be prepared for when it is time. Head back to our homeland immediately and prepare my men. Tell them that a massive feast is coming their way,"**_ He adds with a smirk on his face.

Darkflame knows exactly what his master means. He smirks as well and nods. Turning on his heel, he disappears into the forest without being detected. The shadowed being turns his attention to the entrance of the Guild. His eyes narrow in distaste as soon as he sees Piplup and Chimchar coming out.

"_**Team PokéPals, my revenge will be fulfilled once Crystal and the world are mine,"**_ He says darkly. He comes out of the shadows to reveal himself as none other than the nightmare ghost Darkrai and leers down at the heroes dangerously.


	9. Chapter 9: Evolution and Ambush

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 9: Evolution and Ambush**

The heroes are now out in Apple Forest taking refuge under the trees since the sun would drain Crystal's energy if the Grovyle doesn't stay in the dark. Everyone is fine with that since the Pokémon are concerned for Crystal's safety. Plus, they know that it is supposed to be hot for the next few days as well.

They walk through the foliage of various Apple trees. The first group is at one side of the forest separated by a few trees to the second group. The heroes converse with each other and make sure that no Pokémon nearby attempt to fight. But fortunately, that is very rare. Ever since Darkrai's defeat, rampaging Pokémon numbers have been lowering.

Meanwhile, as the heroes continue with their journey, Celebi happily floats around the forest, twirling as she giggles and plucks some apples off the trees for the fun of it. As the fruit fall, Bidoof and Sunflora rush over to make them land in their bags for lunch and dinner later on. The heroes are quiet as they walk until Celebi suddenly screams. Alarmed, Grovyle and Crystal rush forwards with glowing blades and Aura Swords and they look around for Celebi. But to their disappointment and annoyance, Celebi isn't screaming out of fear but out of delight.

"Look! I found a Golden Apple!" She cries out happily. She plucks the gold fruit off its branch and cuddles it close, giggling in glee. Grovyle sighs irritably and lowers his arms, calling off his Leaf Blade attack. Crystal also sighs but she smiles as she puts away her sword. She's glad that nothing bad has happened and is impressed by Celebi for finding a rare item.

"Good job, Celebi," Crystal pats Celebi on the back before she walks away. "Keep it safe; those things are extremely rare. They heal you up completely in one bite."

Celebi grins and nods as she places the shiny apple into her mini-bag. She pats the bag fondly before she follows the Pokémon again. It is quiet once more until everyone hears rustling. But the heroes shrug it off since it is probably nothing and move on.

They manage to get through the forest by nightfall, just a ways near the mountains. They decide to turn in for the night. Stopping at a clearing outside of the forest that shows open space, everyone agrees to settle camp here. The Guildmembers set up their pink and white Wigglytuff-shaped tents closely to each other, forming a huddled circle in the camp. Team PokéPals sets up a simple large blue tent while Team Gothica sets up a white tent with black flame patterns. After the heroes finish, they decide to set up campfire and prepare for dinner before going to bed. As Chimchar and Piplup go get firewood, the Pokémon just sit back to ease their aching feet. Wigglytuff, Chatot, and the Legendaries talk with each other about something while the rest of the Pokémon (except for Dusknoir, Grovyle, and Team Gothica) play games, experiment on 'e-mail' through their new watches, test their guns on boulders, or practice their technique moves.

Crystal and her team decide to scout around the area separately before they return to join with the heroes for dinner. Grovyle and Dusknoir decide to rest in their tent to talk some things out with each other. But mostly it is just peace and quiet as they close their eyes and relax. That is, until Dusknoir decides to ask Grovyle something.

"Grovyle?"

"Hmm?" The lizard opens an eye to peek at the Ghost Pokémon lying across the tent from him. The ghost Pokémon is resting on his back with his large arms on his stomach, and his eye looks directly at Grovyle from the side.

"I have wanted to ask you about something for some time now," He says. He sits up as he looks at Grovyle almost curiously. Grovyle quirks a brow, wondering about what is on his best friend's mind. Taking Grovyle's silence as a sign to continue, Dusknoir floats over to the lizard and kneels beside Grovyle. He looks at Grovyle carefully in the eye.

"What do you think of that Crystal girl?"

Grovyle blinks. He is about to ask Dusknoir why he would ask such a thing until he sees the look the ghost gives him. He knows that narrowed gaze. It is one that means that Dusknoir would not leave him alone unless he is satisfied by every truthful answer to his questions. Grovyle sighs, clueless about what his friend is talking about. "What do you mean?"

"I have noticed that you have been acting rather unusual for the past few days," Dusknoir says. Suspicion lurks in his eye and tone before he continues. "Ever since we have met Crystal, you've been acting strange. You would blush whenever she is mentioned or whenever you look at her. You would literally stop short when you're near her. And whenever you do see her, you don't pay the slightest bit of attention to anyone who is talking to you." Dusknoir then quirks a brow as if he has confirmed his own answer. "Could it be because you harbor feelings for Crystal?"

Grovyle looks up at Dusknoir, realizing that he is speaking the truth. His mind would go at a blur whenever he sees or speaks with Crystal. He would stammer and this is very out of character for him. He would also be lost deep in thought while his friends speak with him, which earns yells or questioning glares from them. It is true; he hasn't been the same since Crystal arrived. He holds a strange feeling whenever he looks at her bright eyes. Something in his stomach would flutter whenever he sees her. He then comes to realize what Dusknoir has been hinting at.

He is in love with Crystal.

Knowing that lying would do no good and that Dusknoir would talk it out of him, Grovyle slumps his shoulders in defeat and murmurs, "...Yes..."

This seems to satisfy Dusknoir. The ghost's face immediately turns from one of suspicion into pure delight. He pats Grovyle on the back fondly, only earning a confused look from Grovyle.

"I knew it!" Dusknoir laughs happily. He would look like he is grinning if he had a face. "I'm happy for you, old friend."

Grovyle just blinks, but then he smiles softly as he nods his head to his friend. Getting his persona back together, Dusknoir looks down at Grovyle curiously. "So, when are you going to get the guts to tell her?"

The question surprises Grovyle. He hasn't finalized his feelings for Crystal until now. "Truthfully, I don't know."

Dusknoir shrugs. "Well, I wish you luck. We have plenty of time before the mission is done anyway." Then Dusknoir holds a hesitant look as he looks out of the tent's entrance. "Don't wait too long, though..."

Grovyle looks curiously at his friend. "What do you mean...?"

The ghost Pokémon says nothing, but he opens the entrance sheet more so Grovyle could see outside for himself. Outside, there are Crystal and her team facing a Tropius. Both grass Pokémon are glaring at each other furiously.

"Keep your hooves off me, pervert!" Crystal yells as she stomps away from the dinosaur with smoke coming out of her hidden ears. Dreavus and Midnight are restraining the dinosaur from coming any closer to their leader.

"Oh c'mon, baby! You know you like it!" The Tropius calls out to Crystal, his Jamaican voice having a begging tone as he shoots a fake desperate look at the white lizard. This only earned a stomp to his foot from Midnight, making him yelp in pain.

"What is going on?" Wigglytuff asks as he waddles over to the scene and takes notice of the situation. The heroes stop what they are doing and move over to find out what the problem is. Crystal storms right over to her foster father and points at the Tropius with a threatening glare.

"Wigglytuff, this guy has been following us for the last few hours! While we were out on patrol, he tried to take me away and have me as his own!"

"WHAT?" The Pokémon exclaim before they glare at the dinosaur. The Tropius pays them no heed as he shoots a pleading look at Crystal's angry eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry but I couldn't help myself!"

"Help yourself my ass!" Dreavus snaps as she glares murderously at him. "You were touching her chest area right in front of us with a smirk on that hideous face of yours!"

"Keep out of this, shorty!"

"What did you just call me?"

"You heard me right!"

Dreavus lets out a roar as her eyes burn at his direction. Her eyes are so fierce that Midnight backs away to let her deal with the now frightened dinosaur.

"THAT'S IT! YOU ARE DEAD!" And with that said, Dreavus begins to attack the poor Pokémon mercilessly. As everyone watches, Pikachu, Loudred, Corphish, and even Azelf cheer for Dreavus and laugh at the dinosaur getting beaten by a Pokémon about a quarter of his size. Crystal smiles at the sight. She is flattered that her friend is throwing a tantrum just to protect her. A dust cloud envelops the couple as Dreavus continues her attack. As Dreavus is done with her rage, the Tropius yelps in pain and weakly flies back into the forest.

"Yeah! Take that and run back to your girlfriends, biatch!" Dreavus punches the air triumphantly, laughing as she does a foolish dance in midair. The heroes applaud and congratulate Dreavus on her victory for protecting Crystal. Dreavus does a mock salute as everyone surrounds her. Crystal and Midnight push their way through the crowd to grin at their friend.

"Dreavy, we're so proud of you!" Midnight squeals as she grabs the small ghost and holds her close for a hug. The ghost squirms in discomfort, but Midnight shows no signs of letting go as she smiles in glee and nuzzles her face into Dreavus' head affectionately. Crystal smiles at the sight and is about to join the hug until Dreavus starts to glow. Alarmed, Midnight drops the stunned Dreavus and backs away with the other Pokémon. Frightened, Dreavus reaches out to her friends pleadingly.

"What's happening to me?" She cries out as her body glows white and blinds the area. Crystal looks surprised, but she seems to know what is going on. She smiles happily as she gently takes Dreavus' hand and softly murmurs, "Dreavus, you're evolving."

As she says the last word, she notices that Dreavus' form begins to take larger shape up to her own height. But all in the while, Crystal doesn't let go of Dreavus' hand for one moment. Soon the glow fades away and the Pokémon gasp as soon as they see Dreavus' new form. She is now a Mismagius with a black bandana wrapped around her neck just over her jewel necklace. Dreavus looks down at herself, wondering how she looks as she marvels her more slim body in awe.

"Oh, my," Chatot breathes, stunned.

"Good lord," Wigglytuff smiles widely as he stares at Dreavus.

"She's like, wow," Loudred says in shock.

"What?" Dreavus asks cluelessly. Wasting no time, Crystal picks up a water bottle nearby and uses her psychic abilities to summon the water out of its bottle. Using her powers, she makes a rectangular form and freezes it into a crystalloid mirror. She places the mirror in front of Dreavus, letting the ghost look at herself better. Dreavus' gaze is slightly furrowed, but she blinks in surprise as she lets out a startled 'Oh!'

As if ensuring that her image is real, Dreavus touches her face. Her reflection copies the same movements as Dreavus marvels herself in awe. Crystal and Midnight beam at Dreavus.

Probably the only person who could not stop staring at Dreavus is Dusknoir. His mind goes blank as he looks at her, stunned by her beauty and elegance. As everyone gathers around Dreavus to celebrate her evolution, Dusknoir remains behind as he continues to stare at Dreavus in an almost zombie manner. As he watches her blush and smile shyly at everyone's compliments, he feels something within himself flutter in a ticklish form. He couldn't help but smile softly for whatever reason.

"But how?" Riolu asks innocently as he tilts his head at Dreavus. "I thought that your species need a Dusk Stone in order to evolve."

Realizing that he is right, everyone turns to look at Dreavus questioningly. She smiles as she takes off her bandana and unfolds it to reveal a tiny purple pebble hidden within the knot. "I kept it hidden until it was time. I didn't expect to evolve during this mission, though," Dreavus then begins to wrap the bandana back around her neck. Then she carelessly throws the stone away. "I have no need for the stone anymore."

No one says anything for a long while until Crystal breaks the silence. "How about we celebrate Dreavus' evolution with some Oran Pie and Gummis?"

This seems to put the tense silence aside. Everyone cheers and throws fists into the air in agreement. Dreavus even lets a small smile cross her lips.

:)(:

Everyone is laughing as they speak around the campfire and eat different kinds of foods and Gummis that Team Gothica has been so generous to share with everyone. Crystal has made an Oran Pie by using her secret recipe expertly. Needless to say, everyone is impressed by her cooking skills and thoroughly enjoys her pie. To them, pie is just as good as any cake would be.

"Man, this is really good, Crystal!" Corphish exclaims as he stuffs his mouth with pie. The blue Berry fillings cover his lips as he enjoys the flavor. Beside him, the other male Guildmembers also stuff their faces with pie while the female Pokémon, Guild Masters, and Legendaries eat in a much more civilized manner.

"This is absolutely amazing!" Mesprit agrees. Her gold eyes shine in delight as she and her counterparts eat their pies with smiles. Crystal is sitting between Dreavus and Midnight while facing the group and she smiles shyly. "Thank you all. It's one of my specialties."

"I must ask you," Dusknoir asks as he wipes his large mouth clean of any leftovers. He gazes at Crystal curiously. "Where have you learned how to cook so well?"

Everyone looks at Crystal curiously. Smiling again, Crystal fingers her food and says, "After I evolved, I have developed a hobby to cook for the fun of it. Dreavus and Midnight came to help make a bake sale since they insist that I have the talent. Soon Pokémon would come over and we made big business, but then we had to quit since we are more of explorers than pie bakers. We had enough money to start new expeditions."

"It's a shame..." Pikachu muffles aloud. He is speaking with his mouth completely full of pie. "You would have made a great chef."

Meanwhile, everyone but Crystal make grimaces at the sight of him. Riolu groans and says, "Pikachu, how many times have I told you to not talk with your mouth full?"

Pikachu shrugs carelessly and swallows just for the sake of looking polite. Coughing for some breath afterward, he mutters, "Sorry, but the pie is just too damn good."

Chatot and several of the Pokémon look ready to snap at Pikachu for his language, but then Crystal says, "Well, I'm glad that you like it."

Pikachu beams at her. Everyone just remains silent, stunned by how calm and collected Crystal always is.

"Now," Crystal says as she stands up and grabs everyone's attention. "I would like to announce that as you know, tonight Dreavus has gone through a new stage to her life through evolution."

Everyone applauds and Dreavus blushes once more. Gesturing for everyone to quiet down, Crystal smiles and continues. "Now, because Dreavus is at her highest degree of evolution, she has the right to choose her own future and to change her name."

Piplup looks confused while everyone else nods. Seeing his best friend's look, Chimchar whispers, "Think of the final evolution stage as the human way of turning legally into an adult. After a person reaches that stage, he or she is considered a legal citizen free to do anything he or she wishes, including changing a name."

Nodding in understanding, Piplup turns to face Crystal looking intently at Dreavus. Dreavus holds a pensive look as she keeps her gaze down, thinking hard about her choice. After several moments, she looks up at Crystal with a smile. "I choose to stay with Team Gothica. Crystal and Midnight have been my family for as long as I can remember and I will not let them down."

Many Pokémon 'aww' at this and Crystal smiles. Dreavus moves up to a floating position and hugs Crystal. Crystal is mentally glad that Dreavus would not leave her and Midnight alone since they would miss the girl's wisecracks and even her insults. She always makes their adventures interesting and funny at the same time. But Crystal is happy by Dreavus' change of attitude and hopes that she would be nicer later on.

"But I do wanna change my name."

Crystal blinks at Dreavus' sudden statement. She holds Dreavus by an arm's length and gives the girl a surprised look. Dreavus holds a somewhat sheepish smile as she shrugs. "Since I'm technically not a Misdreavus anymore, I'll think I'll start calling myself Magius."

Several Pokémon pause at this. But as they look at Dreavus and think about the new name, they agree to that it sounds much better and that Dreavus has a point. Mesprit decides to break the moment by teasing Dreavus.

"So should we call you Miss Magius now?"

Dreavus, or now Magius, turns to glare at the smirking Legendary and snaps, "Don't ruin the moment, Mesprit." The said Legendary laughs and shrugs in response.

"All right," Crystal starts again, wanting to avoid starting a fight between her friends, "Now, since it's getting late, why don't we-" She pauses as her eyes widen. She literally freezes as her head leaf blade twitches in apprehension.

"What?" Magius asks as she floats over to her friend. She looks greatly alarmed. "What do you see, Crystal?" On Crystal's other side, Midnight rushes over to her with a worried look as well. Everyone else looks concerned and confused.

Crystal doesn't respond as she focuses hard on her mind's eye. Using her powers, she sees everything turn blue once again while all life forms turn orange. She looks around for any signs of danger for a while. Then her heart stops as soon as she sees a large group of purple blobs following an orange blob right at her direction.

"Arceus-damn it!" Crystal growls. This statement startles everyone; Crystal never swears unless the situation is serious. Piplup waddles over to Crystal with concern in his eyes. "Crystal, what's wrong?"

Crystal senses a large black pulse beating rapidly from the unknown group. Already knowing of what is going to happen, her eyes widen. With a loud yell, Crystal pulls her two friends together, pounces onto Piplup, and screams, "HIT THE DECK!"

A huge black blast hits the campfire, making dust fly everywhere while the heroes scream in fear and bewilderment. Once the ground stops shaking from the sudden impact, Crystal immediately stands up and forcefully pulls her friends up with her. Then Crystal orders the frightened penguin to sit tight so the girls could check to see if everyone else is all right. They find out that everyone is okay. But the heroes cough out some of the dirt that the blast has blown into their throats.

"Take out your weapons!" Crystal orders as she activates her Aura Sword and faces the forest. "The Shadow Souls are coming!"

Hearing this, everyone's eyes widen. But then the heroes obey her command and most Pokémon take out their guns while only Magius, Dusknoir, Wigglytuff, and Crystal take out their swords. Crystal trades Midnight her gun for her sword, so Crystal has two swords and Midnight has two guns.

Soon the dust clears and the Pokémon see six Shadow Souls snarling down at them with blood stained all over their bodies. A familiar figure is in front of the group sneering down at the heroes.

"It's that Tropius!" Magius cries out in outrage. Her eyes burn furiously as she grips her sword tightly. Everyone glares at the Tropius and he smirks.

"You shouldn't have done what you did, ghost girl," He sneers. Then he notices Magius' new appearance and smirks even wider. "And you evolved into a much uglier form, I see."

Magius just snarls as she glares murderously at him.

"But I heard that these guys are looking for you, so I decided to give a little payback for not having my way," He continues. Crystal just holds a panicked look as she watches the Shadow Souls advancing towards the Tropius in a menacing manner.

"You don't know what you've done, Tropius!" Crystal shrieks. "You have just led yourself to your doom!"

"Is that a threat?" The Tropius holds an amused look as he tilts his head. Crystal steps forward while shaking her head wildly.

"No! You have made a deal with Shadow Souls! Once that deal is sealed, they will kill you!"

The Tropius holds a blank look, having no idea of what Crystal is talking about. Then he hears low growls coming from behind him. He turns his head to see that his supposed friends' eyes are glowing red. He hasn't seen the blood stains on their bodies until the moonlight shines their bodies away from the shadows. He also notices that they have unusually sharp fangs…

Before he could react or say something, a Shadow Houndoom pounces onto him suddenly. The Tropius screams as more and more Shadow Souls start pouncing onto him. Their fangs start to cut through his flesh as he pleads for mercy.

Meanwhile, the young heroes scream and cover their mouths as they watch the scene in horror. Some of the Pokémon hold revolted and horrified looks while Crystal remains petrified after realizing that she is too late.

"Crystal!" Midnight cries out as she pulls her leader close. She watches the six Shadow Souls in terror. "We need to get out of here while they're distracted!"

As she says this, the heroes immediately start grabbing their tents and items, not caring in the very least that they seem loud. The Legendaries help pick up any dropped items as they rush through the open area towards the mountains. Only Team Gothica, Wigglytuff, Chatot, Piplup, and Grovyle remain behind.

Crystal numbly watches the Tropius being ripped apart and eaten by hungry cannibals.

"Crystal, please!" Grovyle and Piplup plead to Crystal. They tug at her arm roughly with Midnight and try to pull her away. "Snap out of it!"

But Crystal refuses to budge as her large eyes continue to glue onto the gory sight. Now all six heroes are trying to pull Crystal away. They panic when they see the Shadow Souls halfway done with their meal.

"Crystal! For the love of Arceus, SNAP OUT OF IT!" Wigglytuff screams as he slaps his daughter across her face. This seems to snap Crystal out of her shock. She blinks and looks up with wide eyes before she nods meekly.

"Quick! Summon an invisibility cloak!" Chatot orders as he flies as fast as he could along with the heroes towards the sanctuary of the other side of the opening to the mountains. Not even looking back, Crystal mutters out a quiet spell that makes everyone turn invisible. Crystal also shields everyone's auras from being detected by the demons once they finish their work.

Meanwhile, two figures walk out of the forest, roughly pushing their way through the now completely blood-covered demons. With glowing red or sea green eyes, they look down at the carcass of the dead Tropius.

"**Fool...****"** Darkflame mutters about the dinosaur. Then he turns his head to look around the area before he narrows his eyes angrily at the Shadow Souls. **"****You let Crystal and her allies get away****!"**

The demons cower and back away whimpering in fear.

Darkflame just sighs irritably and turns to his ghostly boss. Darkrai is looking out into the distance with a pensive look on his narrowed sea green eyes. Almost nervously, Darkflame says, **"****I apologize, Darkrai. My men have failed to do their mission to stop-****"**

Darkrai holds out a hand and says in a surprisingly soft tone, **"**_**No. They have done well**_**.****"** This earns bewildered looks from Darkflame and the group made up of a Houndoom, a Nidoking, an Arcanine, a Charizard, a Tyrannitar, and a Rhydon. **"**_**Thanks to that retard of a dinosaur, we have found out that those fools are heading directly to our homeland with the hopes of defeating us**_**."**

Darkflame frowns. **"****Don't they realize that once they enter our realm, their doom is sealed?"**

Darkrai pauses before he turns to gaze coolly at his second in command. **"**_**I believe that they do. You of all people should know Crystal better than anyone else should. She never lets her loved ones go to somewhere unless it is required. We know that she has warned them about the consequences, and yet they still go with her."**_

"**But what of Gavin? He is her younger brother and she would never think of bringing him-"**

"_**But she has to. In order to seal the prophesy, she knows that Gavin's blood is needed to seal our dimension's portal forever.**_**"**

Darkflame looks surprised. **"You truly believe that the prophesy might be fulfilled...?"**

Darkrai sends the Blaziken a dark glare, making Darkflame flinch. **"**_**Of course I do. Why else would I have the Shadow Souls destroy him other than for my revenge?"**_

Darkflame says nothing for a moment, but then he gestures for his men to continue eating. As the Shadow Souls continue with their feast, the two leaders pay no heed as they watch the moon. They have no idea where the heroes are right now since Crystal has obviously shielded their auras.

"**Sir, what do you wish for us to do now?"** Darkflame asks. Darkrai is silent for a moment before he turns to face the Blaziken with glowing eyes.

"_**Return back to our dimension and prepare our men to attack. Do not have any Shadow Soul lurking outside the dimension. Once Crystal and her allies reach the base, their doom is sealed."**_

Darkflame lets out a slight smirk and nods. As he joins the demons eating their leftover dinner, Darkrai places his arms behind him and gazes up at the full moon that is now covered by eerie black clouds. He smirks when he realizes that Crystal has just experienced a traumatic event by letting an innocent Pokémon die in front of her eyes. He laughs mentally at visualizing her guilt and sorrow.

:)(:

The heroes pant as soon as they reach the boulders of the nearby mountain. They rest against the rocky surface as they catch their breaths and hide amongst the bushes surrounding the terrain. Even though they are still freaked out by what has happened, they are positive that they have lost the Shadow Souls.

"Oh man, dude! Those demon freaks don't fool around!" Pikachu exclaims. His eyes are wide in fear and anxiety as he bends over to his tiny knees and pants, trying to catch his breath.

"What else do ya expect?" Loudred barks. His voice echoes loudly, and because of this Loudred quiets down his tone. "They are exactly how they should be; they're horrible bloodsucking monsters!"

Wigglytuff inspects the Pokémon to see if everyone is accounted for. To his relief, everyone is present and safe. The heroes agree to settle camp here for the night while they are under Crystal and the Legendaries' invisibility spells and aura shields. They are forced to set up camp once again while fixing their slightly destroyed tents. Team PokéPals help the Guildmembers since they have finished early. The Pokémon are still slightly shaken by the earlier situation and they have tried to change topics. Magius and Midnight help the Guild Masters and Legendaries with their tents. The only person who isn't working at all is Crystal, who is just sitting on a medium-sized boulder staring off into space.

Crystal fingers her pendant softly with a sad look as everyone works. Wigglytuff takes note of his daughter's behavior and walks over to her. "Crystalline? Are you okay?" He holds a worried look as he places an arm around Crystal's shoulder, not noticing something leaking out of her side as he focuses on her eyes. The heroes also notice the quiet Pokémon's behavior and walk over to circle around Crystal with concerned looks.

"It's all my fault," Crystal says weakly. Her eyes do not avert from her jade necklace as she holds it shakily. Midnight, Magius, Grovyle, and Piplup walk over to Crystal's free side and notice that she has glossy eyes.

"Crystal, what has happened is not your fault," Magius says gently. She places her hand over the white Grovyle's hand. "It is nothing; you just went into shock."

"You're right," Crystal says flatly. Her eyes still do not leave her jewel. "It is nothing." She then looks up at everyone almost in a desperate manner. "Nothing compared to what could have happened. I was just standing there. If those Shadow Souls had thought of their plan through, then they could have taken you all as well. I just stood there letting them take down an innocent life."

"Crystal, enough with the 'ifs'," Midnight reprimands, trying to calm her trembling leader. "It was bound to happen. Everyone here knows it and we all have agreed to expect these kinds of attacks when we left. And as for that dinosaur, he has chosen to act without thinking. In result, it has led to his death. That is his fault, not yours."

"And besides," Chatot adds as he grabs Crystal's arms and forces her to look at him. "If I had been in your position, I would have been petrified too. But you still saved us by warning us of an incoming ambush. If you hadn't, we would have been caught off guard and killed!"

"You don't understand," Crystal sighs as her eyes narrow into slits of fury. "This hasn't happened because of mere randomness. Darkrai has known that we are coming! He has planned the attack!"

"Crystal, what do you-" Wigglytuff asks, but Crystal cuts him off rather too emotionally. "I read those demons' minds! Darkrai has ordered them to search for us! Now they know that were are heading towards their homeland! They are planning to prepare for combat, so when we arrive they are ready to attack!" Crystal suddenly stands up and rips her necklace off her neck. She holds it with a shaky hand as she glares up at the starlit sky.

"Is this your idea of a joke!" She screams up at the sky, convincing the heroes to step back as they watch in bewilderment. They know that Crystal is angry and she is probably yelling specifically at Arceus. "You just want to cause more trauma for me, don't you? Well, I don't really give a f**k anymore! Take back your stupid blessing!" She suddenly throws the orb away at a good distance into the boulders.

"No, Crystal!" Everyone cries out. But it is too late; the orb is long gone in another part of the mountains. The Pokémon let out breaths and they watch Crystal breath raggedly as she tries to calm herself down. She suddenly kneels down in pain and clutches her side. Grovyle notices something.

"Crystal, you're bleeding!" He rushes over to Crystal's side, trying to move her arm away as she hisses in pain. He manages to gently move her arm away and he inspects the wound, finding it to be a third-degree burn. "That blast must have hit your side," He remembers the black blast and how Crystal has nearly been hit by it.

Crystal seems to realize this too. She looks down at her side and sees red ooze flowing down from a nasty burn. The Pokémon cry out in alarm and Chatot flies into his tent to grab some healing materials.

Grovyle gently sets Crystal down into a sitting position against a boulder. He pulls out a golden plant from his small bag. "Here, this Gold Petal will help heal the wound." He then places the large leaf against the wound firmly, trying to cover the whole burn to make the wound stop bleeding. Crystal winces at the contact, but she relaxes when Grovyle holds her hand.

Grovyle looks at Crystal's eyes. With a soft smile, he says, "It isn't your fault. The demons always attack."

Crystal says nothing, but she focuses straight at his eyes. Grovyle looks back at her and finds sorrow, anger, and guilt in her expression. He then sits beside Crystal as he gently rests her head onto his lap, not letting go of the leaf as Crystal relaxes once she feels warmth radiating from him.

"Hey, Crystal…" Celebi starts. She holds a kind and understanding smile as she floats up with something hidden behind her. "Thanks for saving us. I wanna pay you back with this." She brings her hands up in front of her to reveal the Golden Apple that she has found earlier. Seeing the fruit makes Crystal open her mouth to protest, but she couldn't find her voice since her hemorrhage is starting to overwhelm her senses. Instead, she feels a tiny hand opening her mouth to force tiny pieces of the delicious fruit into her mouth. Crystal has enough strength to swallow and she realizes that protesting is futile since Celebi is not one that takes 'no' for an answer.

Crystal feels cool gentle fingers massaging her forehead. She realizes that they are Grovyle's as she looks up at him. He and the other Pokémon look down at her with gentle compassionate looks and smiles. Crystal feels her wound being wrapped up by a soft cloth and realizes that Chatot is wrapping a bandage around her waist. She has no strength left to do anything but to look up deeply at Grovyle's eyes.

She blushes with a soft smile on her face. Then she closes her eyes to fall into a deep slumber. She feels something press against her forehead and realizes that they are lips. They move against her skin as a soft whisper speaks to her.

"There is nothing wrong with you. You are perfect, Crystal. Don't ever forget that. Do it for _me_."

Crystal immediately knows of what Grovyle means. Before falling asleep, she sends a quick mental message to Grovyle that makes his heart leap in joy.

'_I will Grovyle, because I love you too.'_


	10. Chapter 10: The Truth

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 10: The Truth**

In the mountains, the sun rises bright and steady as its rays start to warm up the cold rocks and grass in a nearby forest, melting away any morning frost off the ground. The sun rises in the distance from a certain group of heroes, looking like half a circle from the horizon. The sky changes from a dark blue color into a gold hue as it slowly moves upwards.

Meanwhile, the Pokémon wake up as soon as the sunrays hit their eyes. They all yawn sleepily as they stretch their tired muscles and start the day. The heroes get out of their tents to get ready to move on. Several Guildmembers take down their tents while the other Pokémon prepare for breakfast. A small campfire is made while some Pokémon go out to gather some food from their tents or bushes. Wigglytuff notices two people missing.

"Where are Crystal and Grovyle?" He asks Chatot, worried for his daughter and ally's safety. Chatot, is loosening a rope of a tent with his beak. Because of this, his voice is slightly muffled and strained. "They're both at the same spot from last night." He holds a knowing smile as he adds, "They've slept next to each other since then, if my memory recalls…"

Wigglytuff smiles as he remembers last night. He saw Grovyle gently resting Crystal onto his lap and kissing her forehead softly. Wigglytuff nods his thanks and waddles to another part of the mountain. When he reaches to his destination in two minutes, he smiles at what he sees.

Crystal and Grovyle are against the same boulder resting in each other's arms. Or rather, Crystal is asleep against Grovyle's chest while Grovyle is wide-awake watching the incoming sunrise. He gently caresses Crystal's forehead and occasionally gives her a loving look. He holds her closer to his chest, careful not to make her uncomfortable since she still has the bandage wrapped around her waist.

Wigglytuff continues to smile as he waddles over, happy for the new couple. He, along with everyone else, immediately knows that Crystal and Grovyle have become a couple from the very night before and the heroes are ecstatic about it. They have hoped for Grovyle to be with someone. At first, they believed that he would be with Celebi. After a series of misunderstood awkwardness, the grass Pokémon have explained that they see each other as siblings as much as they do with Dusknoir. And as for Crystal, the heroes are very impressed. They have thought that she wouldn't want to have another relationship after her past, but they are happy nonetheless for the new couple. They trust Crystal's reasons and they trust Grovyle to be with her. The reptiles look really happy together.

"I cannot thank you enough, Grovyle," Wigglytuff says out of the blue. His statement startles the reptile as he looks up at the Guild Master in surprise. Realizing what Wigglytuff has said, Grovyle holds a confused look. "For what?"

"For everything," Wigglytuff smiles. He walks over to sit next to Grovyle so Crystal's head is within his reach. "Crystal isn't always this confident when it comes to dating men. But ever since she has met you, she has opened up a lot more. I don't think I have ever seen her so comfortable around anybody."

Grovyle understands exactly what he means. He nods slightly with a somewhat sad glint in his eyes. He and Wigglytuff look down at Crystal, somewhat sad and somewhat happy. But they are definitely happy since things are going to change a lot for the better. Wigglytuff starts to gently caress Crystal's head while Grovyle holds her closer.

Suddenly Crystal squirms in discomfort as soon as the sunlight hits her skin, making her glow blindingly white.

Realizing the problem, Wigglytuff says to Grovyle, "You better wake her up. She cannot stay in the sunlight for too long."

Remembering this, Grovyle nods and begins to shake Crystal while Wigglytuff walks back to the campsite.

"Crystal…" he murmurs closely to Crystal's hidden ear. He brushes his lips against her cheek and gives her a small peck. Crystal stirs at the brief kiss and nuzzles closer into his arms. She mutters something softly before her eyes squint open. Once she sees Grovyle smiling down at her, she smiles back.

"Good morning," Grovyle murmurs as he nuzzles his snout against Crystal's. Crystal returns the affectionate gesture as she stretches her arms and yawns tiredly.

"Good morning," She greets. She sits up and looks over the sun in slight alarm. Then she realizes that Grovyle must have woken her up because of it. She smiles softly to herself before she turns to look at Grovyle.

"We better get going," Grovyle suggests as he stands up and hoists Crystal up with him. Without much effort, Crystal stands up to her full height right next to Grovyle. She looks down at the bandage around her waist and is slightly surprised that it is no longer bleeding. Curious, she carefully removes the bandage to find the cut gone; it's as if it has never existed in the first place.

"Your burn! It's gone!" Grovyle exclaims as he looks at her side happily. He hugs Crystal tightly, which earns a hug from Crystal in return. Crystal then whispers, "Thank you for your plant."

"You're welcome." He whispers back. He is about to say something else when Crystal silences him by a quick peck on the lips. She lets go of Grovyle and heads down to the campfire. She stops briefly to look back at Grovyle and she smiles slyly at his stupefied look. Crystal winks at him before she struts down the slope to head to the campsite.

Grovyle gently places his fingers on his lips as a blush forms on his snout and he smiles.

:)(:

"Crystal! You're okay!" Riolu cries out. He stands up from his seat near the campfire and rushes over to hug Crystal. Crystal slightly stumbles from the unexpected force, but she smiles and hugs the little jackal back as he nuzzles against her affectionately.

Soon everyone else comes to give her a hug, glad that she is alive and breathing and no longer injured. Breaking away from the group hug, Crystal looks at everyone with an apologetic look. "Everyone, I am really sorry about what happened last night. I-"

"Don't worry about it, Cryssy," Sunflora waves it off understandingly. She beams at Crystal. "We're just glad that you're okay! Everyone needs to get mad and let out anger at some point!" The Pokémon nod in agreement. Crystal smiles at everyone until her eyes fall upon Celebi. Her smile widens as she steps towards the pink Legendary.

"Celebi, thanks for the Apple. I think it has helped save my life," Crystal thanks the pink being with a hug. Celebi giggles and hugs her back. "Of course, Cryssy! After all, you did say to keep it until it is really needed. I wasn't going to let you die on us!"

This statement earns laughs from everyone. Soon the grass Pokémon break out of the hug when Chatot comes up to them.

"Ah, Crystal! Already better, I see…" Crystal nods. "Very well. I am guessing that you are ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be…" Crystal shrugs, but she smiles when she sees Grovyle walk up to her and lacing his fingers over hers. Seeing this action makes some Pokémon giggle or grin, but they say nothing about the matter. Chatot smiles politely.

"Very well. Then after breakfast, we'll get going."

Soon after a quick breakfast, the Pokémon continue with their course through the mountains. Of course, since it is a hot and sunny day, they have to make several stops to take breaks mainly for Crystal. Piplup has a faint idea and asks if the Legendaries could create a shade force for Crystal's protection. They agree that they could do it with their psychic powers. So for the next several hours, the heroes occasionally stop for breaks and enjoy having conversations while they rest. Surprisingly again, they don't encounter many Pokémon along the way.

Soon the heroes reach to the other side of the mountains by sunset. When they reach to the bottom, their eyes widen when they take in the unusual scene.

"W-What happened…?" Midnight asks as her sapphire eyes widen at the sight. Where the sea should have been, all the water is gone. It now looks like a large cratered black desert with fish corpses and only small puddles of water scattered.

"Oh, Arceus…" Crystal gasps as she rushes forward to look closely. The other heroes follow and look around the sight as they run. As Crystal makes it to the ground level, she walks forwards and her eyes gain a stronger hue of horror as she looks around. Suddenly her mind turns blank as she witnesses a strange vision.

It is dark at first, but her vision turns bright as soon as she sees the very same ocean that is supposed to be here. Water waves crash against the cliffs peacefully and Crystal wonders what has happened. But she thinks too soon. She sees a dark figure at the top of the cliff looking down at the ocean. Suddenly the figure holds out long arms and swings them. As if obeying the gesture, the Earth begins to shake and everything flashes bright. After the flash clears, Crystal watches the water boiling up until it all evaporates. All that is left now are some puddles of water and flailing Magikarp.

With horrified eyes, Crystal looks back up at the figure for closer inspection and her heart stops when she sees a purple aura radiating from it. Shadow Soul. His blood red eyes narrow as he gestures for something to come to him. Crystal turns to see that Darkrai and the six Shadow Souls from earlier are walking through the empty ocean casually. The mysterious figure then points behind him quickly and wordlessly disappears. The Shadow Souls nod and rush towards the mountains. Soon Crystal's world turns black again...

"CRYSSY!"

Crystal blinks. Her blank vision turns back to seeing the empty sea with her companions surrounding her. Magius holds an annoyed look on her face as she places her hands on her hips. Crystal realizes that she has witnessed a vision and is slightly alarmed as she looks around with weary eyes. Did she just have a vision of what has happened?

"Crystal, are you with us?" Midnight asks. Her voice is more gentle and quieter than Magius' voice is. She tilts her head in confusion, wondering what is bothering her friend. Seeing Crystal's slightly startled look perks up everyone's curiosity.

"I think I just had a vision of what has happened..." Crystal stated mostly to herself. She pales slightly as she sways a bit. Grovyle keeps a steady hold of Crystal, but he stumbles a bit by her statement.

"What?"

"I saw a figure," Crystal says as she turns to look up at the cliff. Without warning, Crystal moves out of Grovyle's arms and holds her arms up. Her leaves glow as she flaps her arms to fly up to the cliff for a closer inspection.

"Cryssy!" Magius cries out as she tries to stop the girl.

"Cryssy, wait!" Midnight calls out. She then begins to rush back up the slope with everyone else following her.

Meanwhile, Crystal lands onto the rather small cliff and looks around for any clues. She notices a disheveled spot near the edge. She slowly walks over while everyone catches up to her with confused looks. Crystal picks up a strand of grass and sniffs it, trying to determine the scent of the perpetrator.

After sniffing it for a while, her eyes widen as she gapes in alarm. Then she narrows her eyes in deep pondering.

"Hey, Cryssy," Magius sighs as she and Midnight come up to her with concerned looks. "We know that you have a thing for nature, but please focus on-"

She never finishes that statement when Crystal shoves the grass in front of her face. Magius' eyes cross as she looks at the strand bewilderedly. "Darkflame was here last night. He did this." Crystal states.

"What? You mean that Blaziken?" Riolu gasps. "But I thought that he is in jail."

"Darkrai..." Crystal mutters as her eyes narrow in annoyance.

"What?"

"Darkrai has helped him escape. He must have. I saw Darkrai and that pack of Shadow Souls from earlier down there." Crystal points down at the empty ocean. But the heroes only stare at Crystal, wondering if he is hallucinating.

"Crystal, what are you talking about?" Grovyle asks in confusion. Meanwhile, Piplup and Dusknoir think about what she has said and move forward after they have an idea of what's going on.

"Crystal, did you say that you had a vision of what has happened?" Dusknoir asks as he looks at Crystal carefully.

Crystal looks at Dusknoir and nods as she puts the grass down. "Yes. I saw Darkflame standing right here. He has somehow made all the water boil and evaporate with a swing of his hands. Just like that! Then he called out for Darkrai and that group of Shadow Souls. They were walking through the slope straight towards the mountains. I bet that he must have led them to us."

There is absolute silence from the heroes as they ponder over Crystal's description. Dusknoir and Piplup stare at Crystal even more. This action makes Crystal uncomfortable and she shrugs cluelessly. "What?"

"How long have you had these visions?" Dusknoir asks as he crosses his arms. "Do you have visions of what has or has yet to happen? Do you feel like your mind goes blank and that you are someone else when this vision takes place right in front of your eyes?"

"And do these visions usually come true?" Piplup adds skeptically. Crystal blinks in surprise. "That's exactly it. I don't know what they are other than just visuals that sometimes start by random dizzy spells. I have had them for as long as I can remember..."

There is silence again and Piplup and Dusknoir look at each other knowingly. "The Dimensional Scream..."

"What?"

The boys look back at Crystal in surprise. "You've been having the Dimensional Scream. It's a very rare gift that Piplup has that foresees something that has happened or will happen."

"She does?" Wigglytuff asks. He looks at Crystal with a questioning look. "Why haven't you told me of this gift, Crystalline?"

Crystal shrugs and says, "The first time it has happened, I thought that it is just mere coincidence. I had another one just now." Crystal pauses as she looks guiltily at her feet. "And to be honest, I wasn't in a state of shock when the Shadow Souls were eating that Tropius. I was having another vision during the entire time."

"Oh, so _that's_ what happened to you!" Sunflora exclaims as she rushes over to Crystal with surprise written all over her face.

There are several murmurs from the heroes. Dusknoir frowns as he holds his chin thoughtfully. "But as far as Piplup goes, he only activates the Screams if he touches something related to those visions. But you haven't touched anything for the last two cases." He holds a curious look. "What has happened that triggered your first memory?"

Crystal flinches and looks down with a nervous look on her face. "It happened when I was looking for Darkflame for our wedding. As soon as I saw his new form, my mind turned blank and I had a vision of him trying to kill me. And the worst part of it is that it almost came true."

Everyone tenses as Crystal rubs her arms nervously. Grovyle wraps his arms around Crystal's waist as he pulls her into his chest and nuzzles her neck despite the pain that sears through his heart. He could tell that it hurts Crystal to think about what Darkflame has done to her. His heart aches at the thought that she has used to be in love with a man that has hurt her so much to the point of almost killing her. Grovyle knows that once he knows the truth of her past, he is going to take far measures to prevent Crystal from getting hurt ever again.

Dusknoir continues after he coughs uncomfortably. "And... What did you see when you watched Tropius' death?"

Crystal pauses and looks down to concentrate as Grovyle continues to nuzzle her neck. It helps that Grovyle is there for her, so it calms Crystal somewhat and it gives her a moment to think. When a thought comes to Crystal, she looks up and says, "I saw a pack of Shadow Souls eating something alive. It isn't the same group; it's a much larger group eating something huge, but that is all I can remember."

"Of course!" Piplup snaps his fingers as realization hits him. As everyone looks at him, Piplup waddles up to Crystal and says, "You have to _see_ something based on Shadow Souls in order for your Dimensional Scream to work! And because you have trustworthy friends with you, that's what helps triggers it!"

Everyone thinks of this as a possibility while Crystal has different thoughts of her own. If that is the case, then why doesn't her ability work every time she sees Shadow Souls? Then again, she rarely ever sees the demons do anything other than run away from Crystal and her team. Other than exploring the world, Team Gothica hunts down Shadow Souls and they have developed a reputation amongst the demons. So Piplup's theory may be a reasonable explanation, but it still has some flaws around it.

_'Oh, goody...' _Crystal mutters to herself mentally. She sighs as she has yet another problem to stress on.

"Why don't we talk about this later?" Chatot suggests. He wants to put aside the topic when he realizes that it is starting to get dark outside. "We need to get some rest. Thinking about Crystal's new ability isn't going to get us anywhere and it won't give us rest for the night."

The heroes look at the parrot. Crystal is grateful for the sudden change of subject and nods. "Agreed."

:)(:

Everyone settles down on the beach, resting near the cliff for protection reasons. The heroes decide to leave their tents undone since it is a rather nice evening. So they only bring out sleeping bags and place them close to the campfire for warmth. Several of the Pokémon silently eat their Berries while others play with their watches or train with their weapons. Only Wigglytuff, Chatot, Team Gothica, Dusknoir, Grovyle, Piplup, Chimchar, and the Legendaries choose to sit down and relax next to each other as they watch their friends.

Crystal leans against Grovyle and rests her head on his shoulder as she pulls her black sleeping bag next to his green bag. Grovyle wraps an arm around Crystal's shoulder, making both of the reptiles more comfortable on their spots. Midnight and Magius talk with each other and occasionally sneak smiles at their leader and her boyfriend. Dusknoir, Piplup, Chimchar, and the Guild Masters rest against the cliff on Grovyle's side. They also smile at the sight of the reptile couple. The Legendaries are talking about something that perks up Crystal's attention.

"I don't know either," Mesprit says. She is holding a bouquet of daisies and tulips for some reason. She has a slight blush on her cheeks as she looks at her two counterparts, barely holding back the smile on her face. "But I'm positive that they gotta be from someone in this group!"

Nobody notices Azelf gulping and his attempts to not look nervous or to blush. Instead, Azelf holds a fake surprised look in order to not look guilty. It is he who has given Mesprit the flowers while she went out scouting. Mesprit has insisted that Team Gothica should get some rest while the Legendaries go out for patrol to make sure that no Shadow Souls are within their space. When Mesprit and Uxie leave early, Azelf places the flowers that he has gathered from the mountains onto Mesprit's sleeping bag while no one notices.

Crystal smiles and winks at Azelf, mentally sending him a message that congratulates him for his well thought out plan. Azelf holds a smile and nods to Crystal before he turns to face Mesprit, barely listening to Mesprit and Uxie's discussion.

"Hmm..." Uxie taps his chin thoughtfully. He is a bit surprised by the unexpected secret admirer. He holds the note that has come with the beautiful bouquet.

He rereads the note and tries to find a clue of who the sender could be.

_Nothing, not even this gorgeous bouquet, could ever surpass your beauty._

_Your Secret Admirer_

When Mesprit has found her surprise gift, she has let out a girlish shriek. The heroes come to her to see what is wrong, but to their surprise she looks really happy as she cuddles her gift. After Mesprit explains of what has happened, everyone turns to each other questioningly and excitedly, wondering who has a crush on her. Someone has to by lying or is just too shy to admit it. But it will be interesting to find out who the admirer is after the next few days. Magius teases Mesprit about who would be foolish enough to be interested in such a pompous spoiled pink brat, but she turns silent after Mesprit threatens to make the ghost Pokémon eat her own rubies after Mesprit rips them out while Magius is asleep.

All the girls are excited and happy for the Legendary while the men wonder about who has done it. None of the Pokémon, except for Crystal, has noticed that Azelf was gone at the time. Then he suddenly returns right when Mesprit announces her secret admirer mystery. When Midnight explains the situation to Azelf, the blue Legendary feigns shock when in reality he is quite happy by his crush liking his gift.

He still is. He blushes slightly at Mesprit's happy expression.

Uxie then turns to Azelf with narrowed suspicious eyes. He had been aware that Azelf acts funny every time when Mesprit talks to him or vice versa. He has kept his eye on his two counterparts up until now. He asks almost casually, "Azelf, what do you think of this?" He holds up the note to Azelf.

Azelf is in deep thought when he hears his counterpart's voice. He looks up to see Uxie's thoughtful look and Mesprit's curious and excited look. Seeing Mesprit happy face makes Azelf want to smile, but he has to hide it to avoid being suspicious. Acting innocent, Azelf takes the note and pretends to read it over and over again. Then he shrugs and hands the note back to Uxie. "I dunno. I reckon that it must be from someone from this group."

Mesprit just nods enthusiastically while Uxie studies Azelf even harder. It's like he almost knows that Azelf is trying to hide something. Usually good at hiding his emotions, Azelf just shrugs again.

Crystal nuzzles deeper into Grovyle's shoulder, somewhat amused by the situation. She reads Uxie's mind and knows that he must be onto Azelf's little plan but he refuses to admit it. Mesprit is still oblivious to it all. Azelf is doing a great job for his part, but Crystal wonders on how much longer this little drama will continue...

"Cryssy?" Grovyle whispers to Crystal and he tugs her gently. Crystal looks at Grovyle curiously.

"I need to talk to you about something..." He murmurs as he stands up and helps Crystal out of her bag. Not knowing what the reptile has on his mind (literally), Crystal shrugs and lets Grovyle lead her to another part of the beach where they would be alone. She doesn't notice her allies holding knowing smiles as they wink or give thumbs up to Grovyle, who smiles weakly as he leaves with Crystal. After ensuring that they are alone and out of hearing range, Grovyle holds Crystal's hands gently as he tries to think of how to start his speech. But all he can do is hesitate as he massages her black claws.

"What is it, Grovyle?" Crystal asks in concern. Grovyle looks at her and an idea forms in his mind. He lets go of Crystal's hands and reaches into his mini bag for something. Then he takes something out and hides it between his palms.

"Well, firstly, I want to give this back to you..." Grovyle opens his claws to reveal the shiny jewel orb that Crystal has thrown away last night. Crystal blinks as she looks at the orb and then back up at Grovyle in surprise.

"I know that it is a personal treasure of yours. I had my friends look for it so I could give it back to you," Grovyle explains somewhat shyly, "I thought that you might have forgotten it and would miss it."

Crystal just stares at Grovyle, stunned by his kindness. Then Crystal looks down at the orb and narrows her eyes. That stupid orb is the main reason that she is in this whole mess! It is basically what Crystal and Piplup are created from according to her master. She has kept it all through her disguises for this reason. Since she feels that she has no other purpose in life, she has agreed to work for her master and carries on with her act as an abandoned Treecko until Wigglytuff and the Guild adopt her. As her life goes on, she makes friends and never realizes the importance of life until she meets Blaze. But after he rapes her, her life shatters and she refuses to get hurt again. But her master confronts her mentally and orders her to go on with her life. Crystal forces herself to be optimistic and carries on with her life until she meets Piplup. The last time Crystal has seen him, he is a tiny horse-like creature cradled by their father. But he has been sent into the future disguised as a human without any memories of his past. Grovyle has taken him in when he has been a Treecko, and the two had to fight for survival for several years. But when Crystal comes upon a prophesy involving Piplup, her hopes for a good life start to diminish when she realizes that both her and Piplup's lives are ending soon. And as for all their friends, they are mere tools that Crystal has simply begun to have feelings for in order to fulfill her destiny faster.

So in other words, Crystal would give _anything_ to be away from that jewel and to stay with her friends. But she knows that it is all just a joke. Even her feelings for Grovyle must be a fluke. Crystal hasn't been created to love; she has been created to serve her master. Crystal's feelings are crushed when her master told her this, but she accepts it nonetheless. She hopes that Piplup would also accept the truth when she tells everyone about it later.

However, Crystal doesn't want to admit any of that right now nor look suspicious to Grovyle. Instead, she forces herself to smile as she takes the pendant from Grovyle and puts it back around her neck. The orb glows in reaction to her aura before it fades back to its normal green color. Crystal hugs Grovyle and murmurs, "Thank you."

Grovyle just smiles and returns the hug, happy of thinking that he has made Crystal feel better. Letting go of Crystal slightly, Grovyle then holds a serious look as he ponders on the next thing in his mind. Then he smiles as he takes another item from his pocket and shows it to Crystal. It looks like a silver ring with a large diamond sparkling from the center. Crystal's heart leaps and she has an idea of what Grovyle is planning to do.

"Crystal," Grovyle begins as he holds the ring with two claws. He holds Crystal's hand with his other hand as he drops down to one knee. He holds a nervous and determined look on his face as he smiles up at Crystal. "I know that we have known each other for only a very, very short time. But I think that it doesn't matter to you or to me. I know that deep down in my heart that you are the right one for me. I think that you are ready too. Will you do me the honor of becoming my mate?" Grovyle holds up the ring to Crystal as he waits for an answer.

Crystal's mind turns blank again. Soon she witnesses another vision. It is the very one where Blaze proposes to Crystal a few days before their wedding day.

:)(:

_FLASHBACK: FIVE YEARS AGO…_

_Darkflame, or otherwise known as Blaze at this time, leads Crystal to the beach nearby Treasure Town. He is an average looking Combusken but he has strangely alluring gold eyes. The yellow orbs look gently at Crystal as Blaze wraps an arm around her shoulders. Crystal smiles and nuzzles against Blaze's furry chest as they walk along the beach._

_It is a beautiful summer evening as the full moon hovers over the ocean. Due to its gravity, the moon pulls the waves in and out of the shore smoothly, making the setting calm and romantic for the couple._

_Blaze leads Crystal towards the center of the beach. To Crystal's surprise, a black blanket near a small boulder is placed nearby the cave. On the blanket is a basket full of Berries. Crystal nuzzles deeper into Blaze and he squeezes her waist in response._

_Blaze wordlessly gestures for Crystal to sit on the blanket. Then the lovers watch the ocean together as they enjoy each other's company. They laugh at some stories shared as they eat their dinner. After a while, Blaze clears his throat almost nervously as he looks at Crystal. Knowing that Blaze usually does this when he is about to say something important, Crystal puts down her unfinished Oran Berry and looks at her boyfriend curiously._

"_Crystalline," Blaze takes Crystal's hands and holds them as he looks at Crystal's eyes softly. Crystal smiles and urges for Blaze to continue. Clearing his throat once more, Blaze continues with his speech. "I know that our time together has been short but I don't care about that. I don't think that you care about it either. Our time together has been wonderful and magical. I couldn't dream of having this experience with any other girl." Blaze then removes one of his wings and uses it to search through his black mini bag. As he looks for his item, he continues with his speech. His eyes never avert from Crystal's glowing orbs. "Crystal, you are the most amazing girl that I have ever encountered in my life. You're strong, talented, smart, fun, and absolutely beautiful."_

_Crystal blushes and smiles as she listens to his words of love._

"_And I know that deep in my heart that I am ready. I think that you are ready too," Blaze lets go of Crystal's hands and he pulls out a black velvet box from his bag. Crystal's heart stops and her eyes widen. Blaze sits up on one knee and presents his gift to Crystal with both of his wings. He opens the box to reveal a silver diamond ring._

"_Crystal," Blazes wears a genuine smile as he looks at Crystal's tearful expression. "Will you become my mate?"_

_Crystal's eyes are glossy from tears. Crystal nods and murmurs softly, "Yes." Blaze smiles again as he takes Crystal's right hand and places the ring in her pinky finger. Crystal looks at her ring in awe as the diamond glitters under the moonlight. Then Crystal looks at Blaze and smiles. Overwhelmed with joy, Crystal tackles Blaze onto the ground. The fire-type bird topples onto his back and the lovers' laughter rings through the quiet night._

:)(:

Crystal blinks back into the real world. The memory plagues her mind as she stares down at Grovyle's hopeful look. Crystal feels her heart swell in both joy and sorrow. She is very happy that she has found new love again, but she is upset because she knows that this love will never last long. Just like her love for Blaze hasn't lasted long.

A life with Grovyle sounds wonderful, but it is not meant to be. Crystal will live for as long as the prophesy lingers, and it will be fulfilled in less than a week! Grovyle's proposal is almost the same exact as Darkflame's proposal was years ago. Crystal's heart clenches when she realizes that it has all been lies back then. She also knows that even though she loves Grovyle, her love is still a lie. If she says 'yes', then Grovyle will be heartbroken when she disappears after the prophesy is fulfilled. She will not keep her promise to be his mate for life.

And as for Piplup, Crystal has successfully convinced her master to let him live after the prophesy. He deserves it after he saves the world again. So even if he survives, Piplup will lose a sister and he won't even be aware of it unless Crystal admits it before she leaves. And as for all of her friends, Crystal knows that she will definitely miss them. She hopes that for their sake, the Pokémon will overcome their loss and continue with their lives. At least everyone will be safe and it would be worth her life to save the people that she loves.

Crystal knows that everyone deserves the truth. But she doesn't have the courage to tell anyone or to accept Grovyle's proposal. Then she has an idea; if the prophesy says that Piplup's blood is needed to save the world, then a part of his DNA runs through her blood. She would take his place and sacrifice herself in the process to fulfill the prophesy. It should work since they have similar DNA anyway. With a heavy heart, Crystal makes her decision as she looks at Grovyle's hopeful eyes.

Crystal sighs as she says, "Grovyle, I-"

"ACK!"

The two Grovyle jump and they brace themselves as they look around for the source of the noise. To their surprise and amusement, they find out that Bidoof has been hiding in a tree's branches and is hanging from a vine holding his foot. He swings around as he squeals and flails his arms.

After he stops spinning, Bidoof sees the reptiles and smiles sheepishly as he waves. Grovyle and Crystal wave back, much more amused than annoyed by the interruption.

"Damn it, Bidoof!" The voice of Loudred yells out. The echo Pokémon pops out of his hiding spot from behind a bush near the tree and he glares at the beaver. "You screwed up again!"

"Gosh," Bidoof says somewhat bashfully. He blushes and rubs his head. "I'm really sorry, guys..."

"Sorry our butt!" Corphish snaps. He glares at Bidoof from his hiding spot in the bush on the other side of the tree. He jumps over the bush and waves his claws up furiously at the klutzy Pokémon. "Everything has gone by smoothly until you appeared!"

"Who else is here?" Crystal asks curiously as she looks around. To answer her question, all the other Pokémon pop out of their hiding spots. They either smile sheepishly or glare angrily at Bidoof. Mostly Loudred, Corphish, Pikachu, and Dugtrio snap at Bidoof's clumsiness while everyone else watches in bewilderment.

Meanwhile, Crystal takes this as the opportunity to carry out her plan. She sighs sadly. As everyone walks closer to watch the argument, Crystal hastily writes down her feelings and last words on a note and places the paper on her spot between Wigglytuff and Grovyle. Then she turns around and quietly runs off with tears in her eyes. She stops from a far distance to look back at her friends for a brief moment. Then she shakes her head and moves towards the cratered sea, not looking back once.

"OK, OK, everyone!" Chatot breaks up the argument by flying his way between Bidoof and the angry Pokémon. He shields the guilty beaver behind him with a stern look in his eyes. "It's no fuss to worry about! It is just an accident and everyone makes mistakes!" He glares at the four men daringly before he turns to glance softly at a sad Bidoof. Knowing that Bidoof's feelings must be hurt, Chatot pats his back comfortingly and says, "It's OK, Bidoof... No one is mad at you."

Bidoof wipes some tears away from his eyes. He forces himself to smile as he nods briefly. "OK…"

"OK," Wigglytuff smiles and he turns to speak to Crystal. He is not aware that she is gone. "So what's your answer, Crystal?"

As he turns to look at Crystal, he realizes that she is nowhere to be found. Grovyle and Wigglytuff's eyes widen in surprise and alarm. Wigglytuff's ears droop slightly as he looks around in confusion. "Where did she go?"

Everyone else looks just as perplexed. The heroes forget the interruption issue and look around for Crystal as well. Soon Piplup finds something between Grovyle and Wigglytuff's feet and waddles over to pick it up. Reading the note and the address, he says, "Look! Crystal has left a note for us!"

Everyone crowds around the penguin as he begins to read it aloud.

_Dear friends,_

_Although I shouldn't call you friends since I am ashamed to call myself one _(This statement earns bewildered looks from the heroes as they wonder on what it means. Piplup continues reading). _I should let you all know of this. Because I love you guys, you all deserve an explanation for my sudden disappearance._

The heroes gulp and feel anxious as Piplup continues reading.

_I have deceived you all. I am not who you think I am. I am not an actual living person. I'm a tool that is created to help fulfill Piplup's prophesy. As soon as it is complete, I will disappear. You see, I am not actually a Grovyle species; I have used my psychic abilities to disguise my true appearance. I am actually a teenager (in a sense) in disguise when I was a baby Treecko to fool everyone. I have been instructed by my father to be undercover so I could do my job to protect life until the prophesy approaches. _

_So after fifteen long years, I have chosen to stay in the Guild. I have developed friendship and love during the process. I never knew how important these things are until I have felt them. I was so happy. After my situation with Darkflame, my happiness is shattered and my father has mentally scolded me for my attitude. He has told me to suck it in so I could be a stronger person. That is why I have acted differently that day. I had to continue with my mission. I wish that I hadn't befriended you guys merely because it would help seal my destiny, but my father has forced me to make this choice. I am so sorry to deceive you all and for never saying anything about it until now._

_Grovyle, I'm sorry that it has to end this way. I truly love you. But like my own life, this is all a fluke. I haven't been created to love; I have been created to serve my father by watching out for Piplup. I am truly sorry. Although I would have loved to have a future with you, I believe that you deserve to know the truth about everything. I'm sorry that it had to end like this, but I know that it is better to tell you this now than when we were going face the Shadow Souls later. You might find out the wrong way after I disappear without an explanation._

_Everyone, I am truly grateful for what you have done for me. I have never understood these feelings until I have received them. I probably wouldn't have gotten this far without you guys. I can tell you that when I fulfill the prophesy and stop the Shadow Souls forever myself, I will die happily knowing that I have shared these feelings with you all. Midnight and Magius, you both are the greatest friends that a girl could ever ask for. Wigglytuff and Guildmembers, you all have helped raise me like a family even though you know that I am different. For that, I am eternally grateful. You all have accepted me even though I am part demon. I cannot tell you how loved that makes me feel, but it doesn't change what my destiny is or what I am._

_Piplup, you have been a big influence for me in the past few years. I lied when I said that if I have known you from before. I know who you are. I have known about you before I met you at the Guild. I have known about you before your transformation. I have even known about you before you were born. Your real name is Gavin. You are created by my father for the same exact purpose. You're my little brother._ (Piplup gasps at this. His eyes leak as he continues reading the note for an explanation that Crystal has hopefully written in the note). _I know that it doesn't make sense. But then again, my purpose for life doesn't make sense either. You and I have both been created by the Jewel of Life. You probably have guessed it right; it's that green orb that I hold onto. If anything happens to it, you, me, and our father die. We are a part of the Jewel of Life, so we are related in a manner since our father as created it. He has formed our souls out of it, so that makes him as our father. We are created to save Earth by fulfilling your prophesy. I have managed to convince our father to pardon your disappearance since you are still so young and you deserve a happy life. I wish that is the case for me, but apparently it's not. Not anymore. Both our Dimensional Screams are given to us to help support our destiny. Although they have been helpful for your part, mine don't really mean anything since they have already happened in the past. I'm sorry, Gavin. I'm sorry for deceiving you up to this point. I'm going to make it up by taking your place in the prophesy. I have a good belief that since we have the same destiny and DNA, the prophesy will accept my blood as much as it would with you. Keep everyone and yourself safe, please. I'm sorry that I won't be there for you when you evolve or find your own mate. But know that I truly love you and I will always be with you._

_Everyone, I'm sorry about letting things go this far. If I had it my way, it would never be like this. But it's not and I cannot tell you how guilty it makes me feel. If you hate me, then it is understandable and I deserve it. If not, then thank you for understanding. Just go home and act like this has never happened. I will take it from here. I will personally stop all the Shadow Souls from ever hurting someone again. Take care of each other. Although it probably shouldn't have happened, know that I love you guys with all my heart. May Arceus go with you and live your lives for me. I will see you in the afterlife, and seeing you happy, laughing, and smiling will be worth it._

_I will think of you when I take my last breath on this beautiful Earth._

_Forever yours,_

_Crystal_

Everyone couldn't stop crying. Finding out that Crystal hasn't been created normally and that she has deceived everyone because of her destiny, it is too much to handle. Grovyle is so speechless and upset that he has dropped his ring. The diamond shatters in the rocky terrain. Piplup's mind turns blank as he stares off into space and drops the note in remorse.

The heroes are quiet and they cry while their hearts plummet to their stomachs. They could hardly believe the words in the note, but the explanation makes some sense. The Pokémon know that Crystal is mysterious somehow, but hearing the truth is heartbreaking. Her closer allies have taken the truth the hardest. Grovyle is now down on his knees; his stunned eyes remain wide open as he croaks out and tries to breathe. Piplup lands on his rear, still stunned. Midnight and Magius hug each other as they cry. They realize that not only has their leader just left them, she is going to die for the world. They don't care if she has lied to everyone; she is being honest and she still cares for them. That is all that matters.

"I don't believe this..." Chatot sighs. He rubs his eyes as he sniffles. "After all these years, Crystal has lied to us about who she really is...?"

"And she is being forced to do this by her father...?" Celebi asks. Her lip quivers as her eyes turn glossy from unshed tears. "It must be someone more powerful than her..."

"That traitor!" Loudred shouts angrily. His eyes narrow as they reflect anger and hurt. "She lied to us! She is only using us to fulfill her prophesy! She never cared about us in the first place!"

"Loudred," Sunflora says as she wipes tears off her cheeks. She holds the Pokémon back by his arm. "If Crystal doesn't love us, then why has she told us the truth through this note? She could have lied to us all the way through the mission. We would find out eventually... But now Crystal is out there sacrificing herself to save us all..."

"But she still lied!" Loudred shouts as he stumbles onto his rear. "She wasn't even as herself when we first met her!"

"Neither were any of us," Dusknoir points out sadly. "I know for a fact that everyone here has lied to someone about something. And he or she still hasn't told the truth about it yet."

Loudred is quiet, not taking the moment to argue with the ghost Pokémon. Instead, he just puts his face into his knees and cries. Sunflora and Chimecho try to calm him down, but it is futile.

"What kind of a parent is Crystal's father?" Wigglytuff asks as he holds the note. His face is wet from tears. "Telling Crystal that she has no purpose in life but only to serve him? That makes sense on why Crystal has an inferiority complex-"

"It explains everything..." Midnight says as she lets go of Magius. Seeing the heroes turn to face her with confused looks, Midnight explains, "When Magius and I met Crys, we found out that she has a fear of being rejected by people that she loves." Midnight then holds a look of realization. "Don't you see? Crystal was afraid! She has been afraid this whole time of us rejecting her! She loves us too much but she is afraid that she would lose the people that she loves! After her situation with Darkflame, Crystal must have thought that we were using her too! Something about her encounter with her father must have forced Crystal to be stronger. Not by dealing with the pain, but by dealing with the fear of losing us and by showing too much emotion. Crystal is scared of us finding out about the truth and rejecting her for it. But now she's out there all alone! She will die not knowing of how we feel about her now!"

Everyone is silent and stunned by this information. With a person like Crystal's father (whoever he is, the bastard), Crystal must have wanted to treasure the feelings as much as possible. It must have pained Crystal to leave behind everything to make sure that her loved ones will have happy lives.

Meanwhile, Grovyle thinks hard about what Crystal has written on the note. Deciding that the past is the past, he has to let it go because it cannot be changed and he has to rely on the future now. Although he is hurt by Crystal's obvious rejection, he understands her true intentions perfectly. She doesn't really have a choice, but at least she admits her regretful deception. Grovyle then thinks about his vows of love for Crystal. He has said that even though he hasn't known Crystal for too long, nothing matters as long as they are together. It's true. Within one night, Grovyle finds out about Crystal's true intentions and her life history! Arceus has a strange way of twisted humor…

Making his final decision, Grovyle opens his eyes and stands up, earning surprised looks from the Pokémon. Before anyone could say something, he rushes towards the dried up sea until Pikachu calls out to him.

"Hey, Grovyle! Where ya goin'?" Pikachu screams. Grovyle stops running as he turns his head to glare at the Pokémon furiously. Everyone is startled by his determined and fierce look.

"We're wasting time sitting around here! I'm going to help Crystal and I'm stay with her to the end!" With that said, Grovyle bolts into the distance. He uses Agility to speed up the time so he can hopefully catch up with his girlfriend. He hopes that Crystal would still accept that title…

"Grovyle, wait!" Dusknoir and Celebi cry out as they try to stop Grovyle. But it's too late; he is gone in a flash. There is silence for a long moment before Midnight and Magius speak up.

"He's right." Magius says flatly as she floats up. She and Midnight walk over to look at the dried up ocean. Then they turn their heads to stare at everyone. Magius then says, "We are wasting time sitting around here when Crystal needs our help. What kind of friends are we to let Crystal die without us by her side, anyway? Midnight and I are going to go help Crystal fight like we always do. Who's with us?"

As Magius finishes her words, the Pokémon narrow their eyes in agreement. Despite that Crystal has lied to everyone, she has told the truth and that act itself comes from a true friend. The heroes are not going to let their friend die alone; not without letting her know that they still love her.

"I'm in!" Piplup shouts. He raises his fist into the air. "Since Crystal is my sister, I'm not going to let her die! I have already seen her like my sister, so this doesn't change anything!"

This earns cheers from everyone.

Uxie speaks up for the Legendaries. "We have agreed to help Crystal with her mission, no matter what. She is a good friend of ours and we never back down on our friendships or deals!"

This earns another cheer from the heroes, but they add to it by punching fists into the air.

"So what are we sitting around here for?" Pikachu demands forcefully. He points at the distance where Grovyle has run off in. "LET'S GO KICK SOME DEMON ASS, DUDES!"

This statement earns a loud cheer that creates an echo through the mountains. Without a second thought, the Pokémon quickly pack up their items and rush through the dried up sea. They hope that they are not too late to catch up with Crystal so they can explain their feelings for her. The Pokémon's feet stomp loudly onto the ground. The heroes create a dust storm behind them as they force themselves to move faster to find the white Grovyle.


	11. Chapter 11: The Real Truth

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 11: The Real Truth**

Crystal sighs when she reaches to a cave and places her hand on the wall to catch her breath. She decides to rest for a moment and sits against the wall, thinking about what she has just done to her family and friends.

Crystal knows that by now her friends know of her true colors after they read her note. They are probably hurt and very angry at her. But Crystal must accept their rejection since she will be gone by morning after she fulfills the prophesy. Crystal has been truthful to everything that she has written on the note; she only hopes that the heroes will oblige to her request of returning to the Guild to carry on with their lives. The thought of her only family's rejection hurts Crystal deeply, but she forces herself to push the pain away. She needs to go on with her own life, even if it is barely a few hours away from being over.

Crystal sighs again and shakes her head before looking down. She looks at her pendant briefly before she narrows her eyes in agitation. This isn't fair! Why does she have to be created for only serving her father? Crystal doesn't even know who her father is or what he looks like. He would occasionally contact her through telepathy or confront her as a glowing ball of light, but Crystal cannot determine who or what he is. Crystal doesn't even know if she has a mother who has helped with her creation, but she doesn't think about it since her father rarely says anything about his missing mate.

Crystal sighs once more as she holds the orb closely. She watches the various colors in the center of the jewel flowing through each other. Suddenly the flowing patterns form a picture of all her friends; the Guildmembers, Midnight, Magius, the three Legendaries, and Team PokéPals are all in it. The picture almost looks like an old portrait, but what disheartens Crystal is that she isn't in the picture. The heroes are smiling as they look at her and they wave or make silly poses. When she sees her friends' happy faces, Crystal feels her chest tightening in sorrow. Tears start to brim her eyes as her throat tightens.

Soon Crystal loses it and she lets a tear fall down on her cheek. Another tear follows it quickly. Crystal rests her head against the wall and she closes her eyes as she lets many more tears flow down through her cheeks.

"**My dear...****"** A deep and powerful voice calls out to Crystal soothingly. Crystal immediately stops crying, but she doesn't look up since she knows who the caller is. _**"**_**Why are you so down? You haven't cried like this since before my last visit with you."**

Crystal snaps her eyes open. Although her face is wet from tears, her expression is angry and bitter as she glares up at the ceiling. "Let me think about that one, _Father_," She hisses poisonously. "Could it be that my life is about to end? Or that I may never see my friends and family again? I think that could be the problem!"

Crystal hears a sigh. Her father's voice is stern. **"I don't think that I like your tone, young lady..."**

"And I don't think that I like this predicament that you have set me up on," Crystal retorts. There is silence again before an annoyed voice says, **"****I should have known that you'd put up a fight with me. You're just as stubborn as your mother is."**

Crystal chooses not to respond. She once asked about if she and Gavin once had a mother, but her father refuses to say anything about it (or at least in a positive way). Crystal just crosses her arms and continues to glare at the empty cave.

"**But no matter, I came here to-"**

"To talk to me about my plan. I know what I'm doing. Gavin and I are born the same way and we have the same DNA. My blood will be accepted as much as Gavin's will."

"**But, Daughter-"**

"No buts. I'm sticking to my plan. My friends and Gavin will be safe once I seal the portal forever. I have told them everything; they won't try to track me down after my deceit. So please let me do what you have created me for, _Father_. Then once I'm done, I will be in the afterlife very shortly."

With that said, Crystal rudely cuts off the telepathic message with her father and blocks out any more psychic energy that might invade her privacy. Standing up to brush dirt off her skin, Crystal walks out of the cave. Then she starts to jump from cliff to cliff and uses Agility to speed up the time. As she leaves, Crystal fails to see a glowing orb appearing in the cave. It floats over to the entrance and it begins to change its shape as its glow starts to fade.

The orb takes the shape of a qilinlike creature. It has white fur all over its body with good hooves and a snout. It has extra dark grey fur on its chest, tail, face, and mane. It has small horns that look like ears. The being has a gold circular arc with emeralds on four corners hanging around its waist. The most remarkable trait about this elegant being is that it has glowing gold eyes. The mysterious being stares at the direction where the Grovyle has disappeared in.

A sigh escapes from his mouthless face. The being gazes at the distance with somewhat sad eyes. **"Dear Crystalline. You have no idea of what is going on. But in time, I fear that at the end you will find out the real truth..."**

:)(:

"C'mon, c'mon!" Grovyle yells. He taps his foot impatiently as he stands on top of a cliff and glares down at the heroes with his arms crossed. Magius and Midnight next to him look equally impatient. The heroes pant heavily as they climb up the rocks to catch up with the three Pokémon.

The heroes have walked through the endless dried up sea for hours until they come upon tall mountains. To their dismay, they have to go through the rough terrain since it is possible that Crystal has passed through the mountains and is currently hiding within the boulders.

"Easier said than done, Grovyle," Dusknoir says as he reaches up to the cliff. Chatot, Celebi, and the other Legendaries also look unaffected since they could levitate or fly fast. Dusknoir jabs his thumb back to the tired Pokémon. "The poor Pokémon can barely breathe. They need rest."

"But how can we rest when Crystal is out there all alone?" Magius cries out, distressed. The heroes are now on the peak of a mountain; they stop to rest for a moment and look around in hopes of spotting a certain white Grovyle on the move.

Sensing Magius' anxiety, Dusknoir floats over and places a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Magius. We will find Crystal." He promises.

The sudden contact startles Magius. She looks at Dusknoir's eye in wonder, as if she is trying to read his thoughts. As she looks at Dusknoir, Magius feels something in her chest flutter uncomfortably. But she ignores the feeling and focuses on finding Crystal; her best friend is much more important than some fluttering inside her stomach.

"How are we even sure that Crystal has gone this way?" Chimchar asks as he catches his breath. Piplup looks just as tired, but he refuses to give up and is willing to go to the ends of Earth if that is what it takes to find his long-lost sister. The other Pokémon look ready to topple over in exhaustion. Only a few heroes look ready to take on the world if that is what it takes to get Crystal back.

But unfortunately for everyone, Crystal has detached her Locator Belt's battery so no one would locate her through the tracker. Magius and Midnight have even tried to locate Crystal through their Communicator Wrist Watches, but Crystal must have erased her address so no one could locate her current status through wireless email. It is both impressive but frustrating for the heroes' part. Crystal isn't kidding when she has stated that she is going on her own. But fortunately, the Legendaries have saved the heroes' troublesome crisis.

"I am sure that Crystal has passed by here," Uxie says softly. "We psychics have a mental link that help us detect each other at any distance. We can sense an aura lingering if a person has passed through the area…" He looks around the mountains and uses his powers to see a bright blue aura flowing through the terrain. "I know that Crystal's aura is bright blue. My psychic abilities help me see the aura…"

Grovyle asks impatiently," So which way has Crystal gone to?"

Uxie is about to respond until a deep voice interrupts him. **"She has made her way through the left portion of the mountains."**

The Pokémon jump up to their feet and look around for the source of the voice. "Who said that?" Magius demands as she takes out her gun, under the impression that it might be a Shadow Soul. The Pokémon also take out their weapons and prepare to attack.

"**Please relax, my children,"** The voice soothes calmly. **"I mean you no harm. I am here to help you find my daughter."**

"Daughter?" Everyone repeats in confusion. Suddenly it dawns upon the heroes. Immediately their bewilderment turns into anger as they glare up at the sky. "So you're the father that Crystal has told us about," Wigglytuff states. Even though he sounds casual, his eyes are furrowed in rage as he looks up at the dark sky. "The father that treats his own daughter like an object."

"**Please, I-"**

"Do you have any idea of what Crystal has gone through?" The Guild Master continues. He sounds very angry and he grips his gun tightly as he turns it on. The heroes have a good impression that he might lose it in his anger and unintentionally shoot Crystal's father because of it. "Of course not! You weren't even there to help comfort Crystal when she was raped. You only told her to get over it! What kind of a father would do that to his own daughter? And above all, you have only created her and Piplup to serve you. You should be ashamed of yourself to call yourself a parent! Now you to dare show yourself around me? Why don't you come out so I can see for myself who and what you really are?"

There is tense silence as Wigglytuff glares furiously up at the sky. His angry pose makes the other Pokémon back away; they have never seen their boss so angry. Wigglytuff continues to glare at the sky for a long while, almost daring the mysterious being to appear.

Suddenly, a bright glowing star forms in the middle of the sky. Everyone watches with surprised eyes as the star lowers down to their level. It is a massive size compared to the Pokémon group and it lands a few feet away from the heroes. Soon its glow begins to fade away and the object takes the form of a familiar qilinlike Pokémon. The large being looks down at the stunned Pokémon with glowing gold eyes.

As soon as the Pokémon see him for the first time, they are rendered speechless.

"You!" Sunflora gasps as she points at the being. "You're that Pokémon that I saw in my dream!"

The Pokémon slowly looks over at the sunflower before he nods in acknowledgement. **"That is correct, young one." **He has the same voice that Wigglytuff was yelling at moments ago. **"I was giving you a vision about my relationship with my daughter and the Azure Flute."**

Wigglytuff immediately gets over his shock and narrows his eyes. He looks at the Pokémon up and down before he asks, "Who are you?"

"**You might already know me as Arceus." **The being responds. The heroes gasp at the name.

"You mean the God of all Pokémon- _that_ Arceus!" Pikachu gasps. The God Pokémon looks at the stunned Legendaries and Celebi and nods with a knowing look on his face. **"It has been a while, Celebi, Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf."**

"Arceus!" All four Legendaries cry out. They rush forward and kneel down before their God with arms crossed over their chests. They close their eyes as they bow down to him respectfully. The heroes have never seen their allies kneel down before anything like loyal servants would do to their king.

"We have missed you," Mesprit says. She resumes floating and looks up at the God with glowing eyes. Her counterparts and Celebi also resume floating. Uxie adds, "We have thought that you'd be long gone in the afterlife."

"**I was about to be,"** Arceus nods his head before he sounds solemn. **"But I still have some unfinished tasks to attend to before I rest in peace…"**

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Riolu interrupts the reunion. He holds a confused look as he looks at the Legendaries. "You know each other?"

"Yes," Azelf nods. "We have worked for Arceus for centuries, but he has ordered us to stay on Earth for a while."

"And we haven't seen him since," Celebi adds.

Wigglytuff snorts and shakes his head as he steps up. "Well, Legendary or not, you have no right to be here. I will not hear of anything that you have to say, especially after what you have done to Crystal!"

Even though Wigglytuff might be jumping to conclusions, he has every right to be angry. The heroes are also angry, but they keep their respectful glances up to the God Pokémon.

Arceus sighs and shakes his head sadly.** "I assume that Crystal has told you about me by her point of view?"**

Everyone nods. Piplup walks up and angrily points at Arceus. "She has told us that you only created me and her to serve you," He sneers. "Considering her description, you've done a sucky job for being a father for the both of us!"

Arceus is silent before he lets out an amused smile. He shakes his head as he says, **"****You are so much like your sister and your mother. You three are so determined to prove your points and you never back down from your stances."**

"What do you mean?" Chatot asks timidly. The Pokémon look up at the God curiously. Crystal has never mentioned anything about having a mother.

Arceus sighs again. He then settles down on the ground as he looks at the Pokémon. **"It seems that you all are on the same league as Crystal is. Very well, then I shall tell you the real truth about everything. Gather around, young ones. Listen to my tale before you make your final decision."**

The heroes are still before they sit down in front of the God. Grovyle, Piplup, and Wigglytuff stay at their spots before they decide to join their friends. Somewhat begrudgingly, they sit down with their allies and listen to the God Pokémon share his story with them.

_Two thousand years before_

_The time that this planet has lived,_

_No creature existed_

_But two did,_

_One_

_God of all life,_

_Ensure that plants and animals alike_

_Are able to work and to strive,_

_Two_

_Goddess of motherhood,_

_Ensure that love, happiness, and sorrow_

_Flow through the bonds of brotherhood,_

_So different_

_So unlike,_

_But when together_

_Power will strike,_

_If this case be_

_Then time is at short,_

_Bear two children_

_Born in a holy court,_

_Your Daughter_

_The martyr of your son,_

_Is strong, brave, and kind_

_She will be loved deeply by all and all by one,_

_You Son_

_The savior of your daughter and the father,_

_Goes through a strange change_

_He is unaware of the truth about his martyr,_

_But alas_

_As time draws to its end,_

_Only the father_

_Will survive to mend,_

_Unless_

_By chance of faith in your daughter,_

_Should she find in her destiny_

_Love for another,_

_She saves not just your son,_

_But the mother as well,_

_Then this prophesy will be fulfilled_

_And all will live swell._

:)(:

_FLASHBACK: TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO- YEAR 0…_

_Nothing._

_That is all there is. There is nothing in the middle of darkness. Only two figures float through it. They look down at one spot in boredom as they stay afloat in deep thought. Their figures are blurs; no one would be able to distinguish their identities, but one figure is white while the other figure is black._

"_**What do you say we flourish this dimension?"**__a feminine voice asks. The black figure turns to face the white figure. The white figure faces its only friend curiously._

"_**Such a wonderful idea, Blackfire,"**__ A deep voice responds. The white being pauses as it lowers its head in the act of pondering. __**"But... there are so many things to do. It's a lot of work for just one world in one dimension-"**_

"_**Then let's have the other Legendaries help!" **__The black being insists. Blackfire holds glowing purple eyes as she looks at her friend. __**"You have created them for helping out to balance life, haven't you?"**_

_The white being hesitates. __**"Well, yes, but-"**_

"_**Then it is settled,"**__ Blackfire cuts him off. She sounds happy as she turns and heads to a different direction. __**"I will gather the Legendaries up for a meeting. We will decide on the matter by then!" **__Blackfire disappears out of nowhere before her friend could say anything._

_The white being shakes his head. His gold eyes sparkle in amusement. __**"Stubborn woman..."**__ He sighs before he also disappears out of sight._

:)(:

_YEAR 500…_

"_**Oh, Arceus,"**__ Blackfire murmurs. She rests on the grass as she looks down at two differently colored balls of fur. She smiles lovingly as she looks up at a proud Arceus. __**"Look at what we have made."**_

_Arceus walks to his mate with a happy and proud smile on his face. They are in the center of a meadow. Under the moonlit night, they are surrounded by trees that ensure privacy between each other and their two children. The stars twinkle in the sky, representing the Legendaries' happiness over their recently born child._

_Blackfire is a female version of Arceus. Instead of being white and gold, she is completely black and she has a pale white face. Instead of having a gold arc, she has a silver horn sticking out of her forehead. Her amethyst eyes glow brightly as she nuzzles her mate lovingly. He happily returns the affection as both Legendaries gaze down at the small balls of fur curled by Blackfire's side._

_One of the furballs is black while other is snow white. After Blackfire slightly adjusts herself, she makes the bundles of fur move to reveal themselves as baby versions of Arceus. One of them is black with gold hooves and a snout and has no arc or a horn. He has a white face and his eyes are closed so no one could tell what color they are. The second child is a little larger. She has white fur with black hooves and snout and has no horn or an arc. She is also asleep right next to her sibling. The children curl against their mother for warmth._

_Arceus settles down next to his mate and inspects the children. He gives his daughter a nuzzle to her head, which makes her squirm slightly. Arceus then turns to look at the black newborn. He smiles softly as he nuzzles its tiny body, which makes the infant squirm as well._

_He turns to the eldest child and taps her gently with his snout. __**"Crystal, wake up. There is someone that Mama and Papa want you to meet." **__He whispers._

_There is silence before the little white being opens her eyes slowly. Her gold eyes flash as she stares directly at her father's eyes. She tilts her head to gaze up at her father curiously. "…Papa?"_

"_**Good evening, sweetheart,"**__ Arceus nuzzles her again. Then he gestures to the small black being sleeping next to her. __**"I would like you to meet your little brother."**_

_Crystal blinks. Then she stands up and stretches her tiny limbs as she yawns. She shakes her head to force herself awake as she looks over at the black being with curiosity. She hovers over her baby brother's face when all of a sudden his black beady eyes open. He looks at Crystal for a minute before he looks around his surroundings cautiously._

_Then the baby lets out a long yawn. Crystal backs away to give him some space. He then turns to look back at Crystal in a confused and fascinated manner. He tries to stand up, but he ends up toppling over on his side. The three older Legendaries chuckle as they watch the newborn try to stand up. He manages to wobble over to his sister and nuzzles her neck. He startles Crystal when he coos._

"_Ga Ga."_

_Everyone blinks at the sound, but they coo since it sounds so cute. Crystal nuzzles her brother back. Then she begins to help him get used to walking before they playfully chase each other around their parents. Arceus and Blackfire watch their children play with smiles on their faces._

"_**I suppose that we should argue about his name now?"**__ Blackfire teases. Arceus chuckles and he shakes his head._

"_**Let it be something simple, but it should fit him…"**_

_Soon the parents turn silent as they think about possible names for their son. But none of the names that they think of sound close to good or appropriate. As they are about to ask each other for help, they hear Crystal giggle at her brother's cooing._

"_Ga Ga!"_

_The parents pause and they turn to look at each other. Then they look at their son playing with his older sister. Arceus and Blackfire smile as the perfect name comes to them._

"_**Gavin."**_

:)(:

_A YEAR LATER- YEAR 501…_

_The sky is blood red with black clouds. The forest that the Legendaries are in is gone; the forest is burnt to the ground. The area is a complete wasteland. _

"_**NO! Please, no, Blackfire!"**_

"_**Arceus..." **__Blackfire groans as she cranes her neck to look up at Arceus with a tired expression. She has several wounds on her body. Dark blood leaks out of the cuts and bruises as Blackfire rests on the ground exhaustedly. Her dim lavender eyes look up at her mate before they slowly close._

"_**No, Blackfire! Please, I'm begging you! Don't leave me!" **__Arceus pleads. He sits next to Blackfire and he looks down at her with tearful eyes. Blackfire is silent for a moment before she looks back up at Arceus. __**"Arceus, I'm sorry that it has to end this way..."**_

"_**No, don't say that!" **__Arceus scoots closer to Blackfire and buries his face against the crook of her neck. __**"Help is on the way! If it is anyone's fault, then it is mine! I shouldn't have taken you here for our anniversary! I have known that Darkrai and his Shadow Souls are active at this time of year and I have chosen to ignore that fact! I was so selfish!" **__He sobs._

_Blackfire surprisingly chuckles. Then she groans as she shifts her eyes back up to Arceus. __**"What's this? The Arceus that I know never cries over anything." **__Blackfire holds a serious tone. __**"Arceus, I want you to pay close attention to what…" **__She lets out a groan. __**"**__**…I have to say."**_

"_**... Yes... Anything, dear,"**__ Arceus sniffles. He holds back his tears as he leans closely over his mate's bruised face. He is pained that his love has gone through so much torture, and it is all his fault. __**"Do not… Blame yourself for this… I banished Darkrai… And his men… For their misdeeds. They... Have only come for me… For revenge…" **__Blackfire states softly._

_Arceus growls. He vows to make the Shadow Souls pay for the pain they have inflicted upon his mate._

_Blackfire coughs out some blood. Then she whispers, __**"Do you remember that… Prophesy… Made about… Our children...?"**_

"_**You mean the one where Gavin and Crystal are supposed to defeat the Shadow Souls? And once they fulfill the prophesy, they go to the afterlife?**__**Yes, but what about it?"**_

"… _**Promise me…" **__Blackfire's wheezes as her heart pumps faster. She is determined to carry out her last wish. __**"That no matter what… Gavin and Crystal fulfill that prophesy..."**_

"_**Blackfire, what are you saying?" **__Arceus exclaims in shock. It sounds like Blackfire actually wants her own children to die and go the afterlife. She has a surprisingly soft smile as she looks up at Arceus.__** "I cannot do that to our own children! They have barely lived their lives yet!"**_

_Blackfire seemingly ignores him. __**"And I promise that… Once the prophesy is fulfilled… Then everything will be fine."**_

"_**But how?" **__Arceus demands. He could hardly believe what his mate is saying. First he is going to lose her, and now she is telling him to let go of his children in the future? This is not the Blackfire that he knows, but she must have her reasons if she says that everything will be all right…_

"_**Just promise me, Arceus," **__Blackfire wheezes for the last time. __**"Promise me that… The kids will fulfill their destiny… I will meet them in the afterlife. I want to… See my kids grown up before they return to Earth."**_

_Arceus tilts his head in confusion. "__**What do you mean?"**_

"_**Just promise me, Arceus… Do this... For our family,"**__ Blackfire gazes pleading up at her mate. The amethyst eyes are so alluring; Arceus finds it impossible to refuse to his mate. But he still doesn't like the thought of sacrificing his children willingly. In defeat, he sighs and says shakily, __**"**__**I… I will try, Blackfire. I promise."**_

_Blackfire smiles as blood leaks out of her lips. __**"… Good. Everything will be fine."**__ She then lets out a pained gasp as her last breath is caught in her throat. __**"… Believe in… Our kids…"**__ Blackfire closes her eyes and lies down comfortably on the grass. Arceus feels her body go limp from under him._

_There is silence as Arceus stares down at Blackfire's body. Then he tries to wake her up by nudging her. After realizing that she is gone, Arceus cries out his sorrow for the entire world to hear._

"_**Blackfire... Blackfire! Please wake up! NO! DON'T LEAVE ME! BLACKFIRE PLEASE, I LOVE YOU!"**_

:)(:

_1,500 YEARS LATER- YEAR 2,000…_

"… _You want me to do what?"_

_Crystal stares at her father in disbelief. Now as a young teenager, Crystal has the same feminine body build that Blackfire had. She has white fur and black flame designs on her hooves that reach up to her thighs. She doesn't have an arc or a horn compared to her father, but she does have his glowing gold eyes. Crystal and her father are floating in space looking down at Earth as it orbits the Sun at a decent speed._

"_**I want you to do as you are told, Daughter," **__Arceus explains patiently as he gives his child a stern look. __**"Fulfill the prophesy about you and your brother, and then everyone on Earth will be safe."**_

"_But how is Gavin involved in all of this? And why am I chosen to do it while he stays in the future? He doesn't even know who and what he really is!" Crystal states._

_Arceus is about to respond but he pauses when an idea comes to him. It would definitely ruin his relationship with his daughter, but it needs to be done. __**"You are both created for this purpose. I have made you from the Jewel of Life,"**__ He gestures to the orb that Crystal wears as a necklace.__** "So as your father and creator, do as I say. I guarantee that in the afterlife you will be greatly rewarded."**_

_When he finishes this horrible lie, his daughter stares up at him in shock and disbelief. It is a good thing that neither Crystal nor Gavin remember their mother since she has died when they were still infants. So telling Crystal about her true heritage is out of the question, but Arceus hates lying to his daughter. It is no doubt that she is thinking that she is merely a pawn for his plot to save the world. Seeing those gold eyes flash in hurt makes Arceus' heart churn, but it is for the best._

_Crystal is hurt by her father's harsh words. This whole time she is just a pawn that is needed to help save a piteous planet that she doesn't even know about? This isn't fair and it doesn't it make sense! Then again, Crystal has been wondering about her purpose for existence, but the answer is still disappointing…_

_Crystal sighs and lowers her head to hide her remorse. She mutters, "… Fine, I'll do it. But I have one favor to ask."_

_Arceus tilts his head and raises a brow._

_Crystal looks at her father with a serious look on her face. Her expression greatly reminds Arceus of his long lost mate. "I want Gavin to live after this whole thing is done. He deserves the life that he should enjoy while he has it." Crystal requests._

_Arceus considers it before he nods. __**"Very well. But first..."**__ He holds a thoughtful look. __**"You will need a disguise."**_

_Crystal shrugs. "Already taken care of." She then glows before taking the form of a small black and white Treecko. Arceus inspects her carefully before he nods in approval. __**"That will do. Good luck and keep me informed."**_

_Crystal nods and turns away to head to the planet. She flies straight to the atmosphere with a heavy heart. As soon as she is gone, Arceus holds back his scream of frustration. Instead, he looks up at the stars with desperate sad eyes._

"_**Oh, Blackfire, what have I done?"**_

:)(:

_15 YEARS LATER- YEAR 2015…_

_Crystal (in her Grovyle form and appears 15 years old) curls up on her bed and buries her face in her knees as she wraps her arms around her legs. She wishes to disappear from the face of the Earth. She cries and shakes uncontrollably as she remembers what has happened precisely three weeks ago. Her fiancé, Blaze, has been transformed into a Shadow Soul. And the worst part is that he has raped her! Then he tries to kill her, but Crystal survives and she forces herself to return to her friends. As the Guildmembers take care of her, they also set up hundreds of wanted posters for Darkflame. But that doesn't help heal Crystal's broken heart._

_Crystal silently cries at memory of being used. The thought that she isn't born to love doesn't help the situation. It only makes Crystal cry even harder. She doesn't care about anything anymore. She isn't aware that it's close to evening or that she still has friends that check on her every hour. They would usually either check to see if she is alive or if she wants to talk. The only person that she could manage to speak to is Wigglytuff._

_Speaking of the Guild Master, Wigglytuff enters the room holding a bowl of Berries and a leaf filled with water. He peeks into the room before seeing Crystal on her bed. He enters quietly. Hearing the footsteps, Crystal flinches before she turns to see that Wigglytuff is in the room. She relaxes a bit and resumes burying her face into her knees._

"_Hey..." Wigglytuff says gently to Crystal. Since Crystal has developed a fear of everyone hurting her, he has to be slow and gentle around her. She only trusts Wigglytuff, Dreavus, and Midnight to even be near her. The two girls are outside looking for a certain demon so they could give him a piece of their minds. Wigglytuff shivers at the thought. He is just as angry and upset by Darkflame as everyone else is. It is because of that fire demon that Crystal has turned into a social outcast with an inferiority complex. _

_Wigglytuff slowly comes closer to Crystal and holds out the bowl and leaf to Crystal. Crystal doesn't move an inch. "I brought you some Berries and water in case you're hungry." Wigglytuff places the food onto the ground near Crystal's bed. He waits for a response, but Crystal still doesn't move. Wigglytuff places a hand on Crystal's arm, which makes Crystal flinch._

_Then Wigglytuff sighs and turns to leave with a heavy heart and drooped ears. Suddenly Crystal speaks out for the first time in a while._

"_Wigglytuff?"_

_Surprised, Wigglytuff looks back at Crystal with wide eyes. He remains silent as he watches Crystal tilt her head to look up at him with a tear-stained face. Wigglytuff wonders if Crystal has gotten any sleep for the past three weeks due to the dark circles under her baggy eyes. Crystal speaks in a croaky broken voice._

"_Can I ask you something?"_

_Wigglytuff stares at Crystal before he smiles. He walks back and sits on the bed next to her. He nods and urges Crystal to continue._

"_Have you ever wondered about your true purpose to life?" Crystal asks. She stares out at the small window thoughtfully. She wants to express her thoughts without unintentionally blurting out her true intentions involving her real father. "If someone has told you that your purpose for life is basically nothing, and if someone proves it to you, should you go on with that thought and live with your mistakes for the rest of your life?"_

_Wigglytuff frowns as he looks at his daughter. Where on Earth has she gotten this idea? This is definitely not what he has taught her. She has always been so optimistic about things. Then Wigglytuff realizes that Darkflame's torture must have done something to alter Crystal's beliefs drastically. Then again, Darkflame has raped Crystal so it is no wonder that Crystal is in doubt. So as a father figure, Wigglytuff must remind his daughter of who she is and how she has been before she met Blaze. Otherwise, Crystal will be lost to the darkness forever._

"_Crystal, what has happened with Darkflame is not your fault," Wigglytuff hugs Crystal tightly. Crystal doesn't return the gesture as tears leak out of her eyes. "If it is anyone's fault, then it is mine. I should have never let you go alone to look for Darkflame. It is my failure as a father." He says sadly. It is true; Wigglytuff was beyond devastated and heartbroken when the doctor has confirmed Crystal's damages that night. Even though he is somewhat grateful that Crystal hasn't gotten pregnant, it doesn't help the situation nor does it cure the demon venom flowing through Crystal's bloodstream._

_Crystal shakes her head stubbornly. "But it's my fault for trusting him." She rubs her arms as she grimaces. "I don't think that I will ever be with another man again." She adds bitterly. Wigglytuff's heart clenches at that. Honestly, he has hoped that Crystal would find her soul mate and live with him happily ever after. But apparently that isn't going to happen for a very long time. Now Wigglytuff is cautious as to who is around Crystal even if she is with the Guildmembers. He refuses to let anyone be alone with Crystal (even though that is rare now) and it is all because of one big mistake. _

_But he isn't going to mention any of that since it would make Crystal feel worse than she already does. Instead, Wigglytuff decides that the best way for his daughter to heal is to let her be for a while. He only prays that by some miracle someone will help Crystal through her depression; that one day she will return to being the daughter that he loves._

_Wigglytuff sighs and shakes his head. "Well, I will leave you to rest, Crystalline. If you need me, then contact me." Crystal would call out to Wigglytuff through her psychic ability; she always does whenever she is distressed or needs help. Crystal only nods and keeps her eyes focused onto the window. Wigglytuff pats her shoulder gently before he stands up. Looking at Crystal once more, Wigglytuff then leaves the room._

_Crystal is in deep thought. After Wigglytuff leaves, she hears a voice in her head calling out to her. It is reprimanding her for her foolish depression._

_**'My daughter, why do you stay in darkness when the world is ending soon?'**_

_**'Father…'**__ Crystal sighs tiredly. She knows that this talk is not going to end well. __**'I was raped three weeks ago and I also nearly got killed. How can I get over that so easily?'**_

_**'I understand, but you need to let it go and live the rest of your life-'**_

_**'Let it go?'**__ Crystal barks. Her brows furrow in anger. __**'How can I just let it go? I almost died that night. As a father, you should be comforting me and telling me that everything would be all right!'**_

_**'Don't tell me how to act as a parent,' **__Her father says rather coldly. Crystal flinches at his tone. __**'And as for your statement, you are right. I have come here to give you comfort.'**_

_Crystal just groans and rubs her temples tiredly. __**'What is it that you want from me?'**__ She moans._

_**'I have come here to tell you that the reign of the Shadow Souls is coming to an end very soon,' **__Arceus says. He pauses when Crystal perks up in bewilderment. __**'In five years to be exact,' **__Crystal's expression turns bitter. __**'So I have come to tell you that your part of our bargain is approaching fast.'**_

_**'Wow, you sure know how to make a child feel so loved.'**__ Crystal mutters irritably. Her father has never said one loving word to her, so she should be used to it by now. Crystal has hoped that she would be strong enough to not get hurt anymore, but it seems that aging doesn't really help her case._

_Ignoring Crystal's comment, Arceus continues. __**'**__**I want you to be prepared for the final battle. Maintain your relationship with your friends. But remember this; Gavin will arrive as a Piplup within the next five years. He will be the leader of an exploration team named Team PokéPals. After he confronts Darkrai-'**_

_**'Darkrai?'**__ Crystal interrupts, horrified. __**'But he is a Shadow Soul! He could kill Gavin if he-'**_

'_**Silence,' **__her father orders. Crystal turns silent as he continues. __**'As I was saying, after Gavin defeats Darkrai, I want you to confront Dialga. Tell him to bring back Gavin's friends; they are Celebi, a Dusknoir, and a Grovyle. They are close and powerful allies that will help Gavin fulfill his destiny. Am I clear?'**_

_Crystal halfheartedly nods. As Crystal senses her father leaving, she says, __**'Wait. Gavin still isn't aware of his true heritage, is he?'**_

_There is silence for a moment. __**'...No. I plan to keep it that way. Before I go, I want you to do something in the meantime. You must go on with the remaining of your life for the sake of your friends and family. They worry about you constantly. It is not wise for you to stay inside when you could be helping other Pokémon or making more friends. Remember this; friendship and love are powerful and wonderful things to experience. Don't throw away those chances.'**_

_With that said, he disappears. Crystal is speechless by her father's advice. It is probably the nicest thing that her father has ever said to her! And he is right; Crystal wants to treasure her friendship with the Guildmembers as much as possible. Even if her time is almost up, she wants to spend the last few moments with her loved ones. So what if Darkflame is one person that has hurt her? She still has her friends. Although they might be the only friends that she'll ever have, it is enough to know that they love her._

_As long as the Guildmembers don't find out about who Crystal is or what her intentions are, then she will be fine. She forces herself to smile as she wipes away her tears. She straightens her act and gets off her bed. She marches straight to the hallway to greet her friends. She knows that in the next few days they will go through one hell of a state of confusion by her sudden change of attitude._

_Meanwhile, Arceus breaks off the mental link he has shared with his daughter. He looks around the empty space as he lets tears flow down from his eyes. He looks down at Earth sadly. Then he turns to look at the brightest star hovering above the planet. With tearful gold eyes, Arceus looks at the star pleadingly._

"_**Oh, Blackfire. I don't know what I am doing anymore. I fail by being a good father and I have let our children down. But am I doing the right thing? Please tell me…"**_

_The star flashes. But the star's response doesn't satisfy Arceus' question. The God Pokémon hangs his head low as he continues to cry silently over his great mistakes concerning his daughter._

:)(:

Arceus finishes his story. There is silence as the heroes look up at him carefully. Wigglytuff, Piplup, and Grovyle stare at Arceus with hard calculating eyes. Arceus is very patient, so he would simply wait for the heroes' responses. However, his daughter is heading to her doom at a fast pace, so he hopes that the heroes would come to a conclusion quickly.

"So let me get this straight," Pikachu looks up at the God with narrowed eyes. He has gotten over his shock of seeing the God Pokémon once he realizes that he is Crystal's unsupportive father. "The story that Crystal has told us about her life is actually a fluke. You lied to her so you could keep the promise that you have made to her mother?"

Arceus nods. **"Yes."**

"That explains a lot of things," Midnight says thoughtfully. Arceus looks at her and realizes that she isn't angry. "I have always wondered about how Crystal has developed her psychic abilities."

Arceus just nods again.

"Arceus," Mesprit starts. Arceus looks down at her. "Is this why you have ordered us to watch out for Crystal and Gavin? So that way you are sure that they will fulfill the prophesy?"

"Wait...You guys have known about this the whole time?" Piplup cries out in outrage. The four Legendaries nod their heads. "Yes." Celebi admits as she rubs her arms guiltily. "All the Legendaries were there when you two were born. But I haven't been aware of who Crystal is since I was ordered to watch out for you in the future. Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf were ordered to watch out for Crystal while they trained her."

The heroes are not sure whether to feel angry or betrayed. Piplup and Grovyle hold angry looks as they glare at the Legendaries. Then they glare up at a calm Arceus. "Why haven't you watched out for Crystal?" Grovyle asks simply as he tries to control his anger.

Arceus sighs as he replies, **"Because whether you believe it or not, I do care for my daughter. I know that Blackfire must have had a plan for our children even after her death. I trust my mate and I have done what she has asked me to. The original plan was to keep Gavin and Crystal with me until the year of the prophesy draws closer. But I know that it is not fair for my children since they need to experience so many different things on Earth even for a limited time. So I have separated them in different eras so they could live their lives and learn to love other people until the time for the prophesy has come. Gavin was a baby at the time, so he had to be sent to the future so he could learn how to adapt to his surroundings and develop a close friendship with Celebi and Grovyle. I don't want anything bad to happen to my children, but I cannot alter the timeline to where they would always stay safe. It has pained me to watch everything that has happened to Crystal, but all I could do is give her advice. I regret my behavior around my daughter, but it doesn't matter right now. I think that Crystal would want her friends and family to be by her side as she fights the Shadow Souls."**

The heroes are speechless as they gaze up at the God in awe. Wigglytuff, Grovyle, and Piplup are also quiet since all of their questions are answered by that simple speech. They realize that Arceus has to do things, with or without his choice, and at the same time watch over his children. Crystal and Piplup did have a rough life, but Arceus couldn't support them so they have to learn about things on their own. Have they not, they wouldn't have come out as they are now. Arceus wouldn't come out clean if he isn't truly sorry of if he doesn't care for his children.

"You do care for us..." Piplup murmurs softly. The God looks down at his son with a somewhat sad glint in his eyes. **"I am sorry for never being there for you, Piplup. I cannot change what I have done for the sake of your happiness."**

"I understand," Piplup nods with a small smile forming on his beak. The other Pokémon, including Wigglytuff and Grovyle, also smile and they apologize to the God. Everything has just been a huge misunderstanding. Arceus easily forgives the heroes since they have simply been very protective over Piplup and Crystal. They are the supportive family that Arceus could never give his children and he is eternally grateful for that. Neither of his children would have gotten this far in their lives without their friends' help and support.

"But what about the prophesy?" Loudred asks worriedly. "Crystal said that she is gonna take Piplup's place in it!" The heroes don't bother calling Piplup by his real name. The Pokémon know him as 'Piplup' and they decide to stick to calling him what they have been calling him since day one. The penguin doesn't seem to mind.

Arceus sighs. **"I tried to stop her a while ago, but she is too stubborn to listen to me. There is a slight problem with her plan."**

"What's that?" Grovyle asks curiously. Arceus simply replies, **"Her blood."**

Magius gasps in realization. Her face pales. "Oh, no!"

"What?" Midnight asks worriedly. Magius looks at the Absol with a panicked expression. "Crystal says that her and Piplup's blood are the same, but that's not true! She has demon blood in her!"

Midnight blinks and then she stares at Magius blankly. Suddenly realization hits her and her eyes widen in horror. "You're right!" Midnight gasps. "Since Crystal is a Shadow Soul, her DNA is not the same as before! The prophesy won't accept her blood! By the time Crystal realizes this, the Shadow Souls will kill her!" The heroes gasp at this discovery.

"**Correct."** Arceus nods as he stands up. **"That is why I have come to warn you young ones. Crystal doesn't know about this yet, but she will need your help nonetheless. I come with the assistance to take you to the final destination through teleportation."**

Everyone nods in acknowledgement. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Piplup demands as he waves his flippers frantically. "Let's go help my sister!"

This earns cheers from the Pokémon. Arceus chuckles at how his son reminds him so much of his long deceased mate. He shakes his head and focuses on his teleportation as the heroes gather around him. The Pokémon hold onto each other for support and don't let go as they are enveloped by a bright blue orb. The heroes begin to hover over the air and they suddenly disappear in a flash of light. The Pokémon are heading to their final destination through the speed of light.


	12. Chapter 12: Crystal's End

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 12: Crystal's End**

Crystal sighs as she jumps over a large trench. She looks back at the direction where her friends are supposed to be safe in and shakes her head. This is not how she wants to end her life, but if it means as to go as far as to save everyone, then so be it.

Crystal looks ahead at the rather empty plateau and notices the difference between each side of the trench. The side that she has jumped from is a lot more welcoming than the side that she is currently standing on. The side that Crystal is on has a darker aura and the smell of fresh blood fills her nose. The clouds are covering the sky so it is very hard to determine exactly what time it is. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Crystal is in her enemy's territory.

Crystal walks forward with determined eyes. Soon she takes out both her Aura Sword and her Lock-On Gun. She grips her weapons tightly as she waits for the Shadow Souls to arrive. She pauses when she hears a strange sound and closes her eyes. In her mind's eye, everything turns dark blue and a black Dimensional Hole forms right in front of her. It expands until several purple blobs jump out of the hole.

Crystal opens her eyes in an unimpressed manner. She sees an army of about a hundred hungry Shadow Souls standing before her. In front of the demons, Darkflame and Darkrai hold amused looks as they cross their arms.

"_**Well, well, well**_**,"** Darkrai sneers sarcastically. **"**_**It looks like your girlfriend has paid us a visit, Darkflame."**_

This makes several of the Shadow Souls chuckle. Darkflame says nothing but he gazes at Crystal with a bemused look.

"Ex-girlfriend, actually," Crystal corrects calmly. "But that isn't why I have come here. You know that."

"**You never really did get any joke, Crystalline," **Darkflame sighs as he shakes his head and drops his arms. **"But you're right; I know you too well." **He holds a smirk as he looks at Crystal. **"You have come to take Piplup's place in the prophesy like a true hero?"**

Crystal doesn't reply. She holds a confident expression as she waits for him to continue.

Darkflame laughs. **"Oh, if only you have known about the little flaw in that grand plan of yours, dear. Your plan is clever, but it will never work."**

"What do you mean?" Crystal demands. Darkflame doesn't respond, but he suddenly grabs Crystal by the arm and drags her through the group of Shadow Souls. The demons move aside like tide waves as Crystal struggles against Darkflame's tight grip. Crystal punches Darkflame and yells out in protest, but Darkflame pays no heed to Crystal as he leads her to a strange ruin not too far away. Darkrai and the Shadow Souls follow the two Pokémon quietly. Unfortunately, Crystal has dropped all her weapons when Darkflame grabbed her, and she curses at herself for her misfortune.

The ruin is basically cold stone with Unown markings on the walls. It has a flight of stairs leading up to a small tombstone that has two stands on either side of it holding two gold bowls. The tombstone has a picture of an orb with wave patterns on the center. Below the mural are Unown markings that foretell a story of some sort. On top of the tombstone is a rather sharp dagger that has never been used before.

Darkflame reaches to the top of the ruin and stops right in front of the tombstone. He finally lets go of Crystal. Crystal glares at the Shadow Soul irritably before she looks at the tombstone. Then she looks back at Darkflame questioningly.

"**Can you read this?"** Darkflame asks as he gestures to the Unown writing. Crystal glances at the tombstone and briefly nods. "I've read it before, Darkflame. I was here before. "She snaps.

Darkflame sighs impatiently. **"Read it again."**

The Shadow Souls surround the small ruin as they smirk. Crystal grumbles to herself and kneels down to read the prophesy again. In her mind, Crystal translates it.

_The time has come_

_For using Judgment on the good and the bad,_

_Here the demons stay_

_With the tyranny and trouble they had,_

_Blood of the Son _

_Is so strong and pure,_

_It creates a new world_

_Where happiness and tranquility will be ensured,_

_Human once_

_Creature again,_

_He is chosen to wipe out_

_The horrid and the damned._

Crystal sighs as she stands back up. She looks at the Blaziken cluelessly. "So what's the problem? Gavin is my brother, so therefore my blood will be accepted as much as his will."

Darkflame shakes his head. Then he wordlessly grabs Crystal's hand and pulls her forward. He quickly grabs the dagger and cuts Crystal's palm. He then holds her bleeding hand over one of the golden bowls. Crystal gasps slightly at the unexpected pain but she is too stunned to react. As the blood seeps down onto the bowl, the two Pokémon wait for something to happen.

After flinging away the bleeding hand, Darkflame drops the dagger in front of Crystal's feet. He then picks up the bowl filled with red blood and shows it to Crystal's stunned face. **"Do you see this?" **Darkflame demands. Crystal doesn't respond, but she only stares in disbelief as she wonders why nothing has happened yet.

Satisfied by Crystal's stunned silence, Darkflame continues. **"This has demon blood in it." **He smirks at Crystal's shocked look. **"Gavin isn't a demon hybrid like you are. And as you can see, demon blood isn't acceptable regardless of your relationship with Gavin."**

'..._S**t!'_ Crystal panics. '_How could I have overlooked that?'_

Darkflame smirks and hovers over Crystal menacingly. He forcefully tilts Crystal's chin to make the lizard look up at his lustful glare. He chuckles darkly. **"Your efforts are wasted, Crystal. And you're all alone again."**

Darkflame then punches Crystal crudely on her face. The force sends Crystal tumbling over the ruin and into the arms of the Shadow Souls. Crystal screams and struggles while the demons cackle and begin to violate her everywhere. Crystal is punched, kicked, and touched everywhere as the Shadow Souls pin her down to the ground. Then a large Charizard straddles over Crystal. Knowing of what is going to happen, Crystal screams as the demons hold her arms over her head. The Shadow Souls cackle as the Charizard prepares to penetrate Crystal.

Suddenly a huge blast shoots the Charizard off Crystal. Shocked, everyone watches the Charizard roar in pain as he clutches a hole in his neck. The Pokémon turn their heads to look for the shooter. Then everyone's expressions turn into pure shock and bewilderment.

Piplup blows the smoke from his gun as he glares murderously at the Shadow Souls. "Get away from my sister, you blood-sucking freaks!" He yells.

He begins to shoot at all the demons close to Crystal. He either successfully kills them or makes them back away screaming in panic. Some of the demons' blood splatters onto Crystal's body, much to her dismay. Once free, Crystal jumps up and rushes over to Piplup. She then hugs the daylights out of him.

"Piplup! I thought that I told you to go back to the Guild!" She whispers harshly. Even though Crystal is glad to see her brother again, she is a bit outraged that he has disobeyed her. Piplup expertly twirls his gun as he smiles up at Crystal. "I know, but we have already agreed that if you're gonna fight these creeps then we're staying with you till the end."

"'We'?" Crystal repeats, perplexed. The siblings fail to notice a Shadow Houndoom and a Shadow Fearow sneaking towards them. But when they pounce towards the heroes, the siblings cry out as they shield themselves. Suddenly two figures tackle against the Shadow Souls before they could reach the siblings. Then the two beings begin to beat every inch out of the demons.

"Leave them alone, Shadow Scum!" Midnight's voice yells. The Absol proceeds to attack the poor Houndoom with every weapon or move that she could use. Magius is having the time of her life beating the crap out of the Fearow. She takes out her Lock-On Gun from her belt and a chainsaw from her bag. Crystal vaguely wonders where her friend has hidden that large weapon in her small traveling bag.

"Prepare to die, biatches!" Magius yells as she turns the chainsaw on. When the Shadow Souls see the crazed ghost with the terrifying weapon, they scream in fear and run for their lives as far away from her as possible.

"Midnight? Magius?" Crystal blinks. The girls look at Crystal and wink at her. "Prepared for duty, Ma'am." Then the girls furrow their eyes and chase after the Shadow Souls with the intention to kick some serious ass.

Darkrai and Darkflame just stand on the ruin and watch the battle with bewildered eyes. But they growl when they see more familiar Pokémon arriving in the scene.

"Everyone is here!" Crystal exclaims in shock. The Legendaries, the Guildmembers, and Team PokéPals are all really here! The Pokémon are seriously kicking butt with all of their weapons and moves.

Darkflame and Darkrai growl when they realize that they are outnumbered. They jump off the ruin and quietly sneak up behind Crystal and Piplup. They quickly grab the siblings and cover their mouths before either Pokémon could cry out for help.

"**You both are coming with us," **Darkflame snarls into Crystal's ear quietly. He holds her tightly against his chest as she whimpers. **"Just keep quiet and you might live a little longer."**

Before he could say something else, Darkflame feels a hot blade hovering over his neck. "Let them go," Grovyle's voice says calmly yet venomously. With unimpressed looks, Darkflame and Darkrai turn around to see that Grovyle, Celebi, and Dusknoir are holding guns or glowing blades aimed at the Shadow Soul leaders. The three Pokémon glare at the demons dangerously.

"**Ah, you must be Crystal's new boyfriend," **Darkflame states calmly. He doesn't loosen his grip on Crystal nor does Darkrai let go of a struggling Piplup. Darkflame smirks. **"Do you want me to tell you how tight your little homecoming queen is?"**

Grovyle snarls. He tries hard not to do anything rash, but his anger is affecting his ability to think rationally. "No." He growls under his throat. "But I want you to run and beg for your life."

Darkrai smirks and says,** "**_**I don't think that you are in any position to threaten us, lizard boy. One false move and these two are gone for good."**_

"You're a filthy liar," Celebi growls. Ignoring the pink Legendary, the Shadow Souls wait for something to happen when they are suddenly shot down. The force makes the Shadow Souls topple over in pain. Riolu and Pikachu rush over to jump on top of the demons and they begin to scratch the burns on their backs. Darkrai and Darkflame roar in pain as they try to pry the small Pokémon off them.

Taking their chance, Piplup and Crystal open their mouths wide and bite as hard as they could onto the Shadow Souls' arms. Darkrai and Darkflame scream as they let go and continue flailing around. The siblings quickly rush into the arms of their closest friends. Blood seeps slightly from Crystal's lips, but she ignores this as she runs straight to Grovyle.

Crystal hugs Grovyle tightly and she cries onto his shoulder. She is so happy to see him again. As Darkflame and Darkrai are tackled down and tied up by the stronger Pokémon, the heroes rest when they realize that they have won the battle. The Legendaries have summoned silver cages to appear and they do the honor of placing all the Shadow Souls into the cages. The remaining heroes smile when they see Crystal safe and sound.

"I thought that I'd never see you again," Crystal cries as Grovyle hugs her tightly to his chest. Grovyle rubs her back soothingly. "Crys, I would never let anything happen to you," He murmurs gently. He then breaks the hug to look at Crystal lovingly.

Crystal smiles and she wipes some tears away from her eyes.

"Yeah," Piplup tugs Crystal's leg to make her look down at his smiling face. "I'd never let anything happen to my sister. Dad told us everything."

Crystal pauses. "Everything?" She repeats as she narrows her eyes. She is about to say something when she realizes that blood is on her lips. She subconsciously licks at it. But when she realizes that it is Darkflame's blood and not her own, her heart stops as her mind drifts into the oblivion of sheer unwanted bliss.

"...Oh, s**t." Crystal mutters. She sways slightly as her eyes close. Crystal pushes Grovyle away and moans as she holds her head. "What have I done?" Crystal groans as her vision turns red.

Midnight and Magius seem to know what is going on. They immediately rush over to Crystal and try to make her focus on them. "Cryssy, Cryssy, breathe. Focus. Don't fall for it." Dreavus orders shakily as she cups Crystal's face with her ghostly hands. But every time Crystal closes her eyes, Magius shakes her awake hastily. "Focus, please!"

Concerned, Grovyle asks, "What's happening?"

"She tasted Darkflame's blood," Midnight explains as she tries to hold Crystal still. Crystal trembles as if she is in a seizure, so holding her still is quite difficult. Not wanting to take any chances, Midnight lets go of Crystal and pushes the Pokémon away from her. "Stay back, everyone! You can't come close to Crystal!"

The heroes are about to ask why when Crystal suddenly shrieks in pain. She roughly pushes Magius away and holds her pounding head, trying to shake away the mental pain that her bloodlust is inflicting on her.

"_**Yes..."**_Darkrai smiles evilly. _"__**She is completing her final stage as a Shadow Soul."**_

Everyone looks at the nightmare being in horror. "What?"

"_**Say goodbye to Crystalline and say hello to Dark Crystal**_." Darkrai finishes as he gestures to Crystal. Darkflame and the other Shadow Souls hold triumphant looks as they laugh.

"... Before Crystal was raped, Darkflame has forced her to drink some of his blood. But it didn't completely transform Crystal," Magius thinks aloud. Then her eyes widen in horror as she looks back at Crystal's trembling form. "Now that she drank the same blood again, she is transforming into a pure Shadow Soul!"

"NO!" Piplup cries out. He tries to help his sister, but he is held back by Midnight as Crystal continues screaming in pain.

"R-Run, guys..." Crystal pleads. Her breathing becomes ragged as she falls down to her knees. Her skin starts to change from white to gray until it is pitch black. "S-Save **yourse****lves****..."** Crystal says. Her voice tone noticeably darkens. When the clouds unveil the moon, the moonlight hits Crystal and she stops struggling from her pain. Then she stands up to her full height and everyone stares in shock and horror at her new change.

Crystal has pure black skin. She has thunder marks leading up from around her purple limbs. Her black blades look sharp enough to cut through the densest boulder. Probably the scariest change is Crystal's blood red eyes. They greatly remind everyone of a Gengar's stare. Crystal also has sharper claws and she looks at herself in a pleased manner.

"**At last..." **She says in a demonic tone. Her new voice scares the heroes and they back away in fear. Crystal smiles darkly at the Pokémon, not at all affected by their horrified expressions. **"My transformation is complete..."**

"**Welcome to your final stage of being a Shadow Soul, Crystalline," **Darkflame welcomes Crystal. He and Darkrai smirk while the Shadow Souls cheer from behind their cages. Darkflame chuckles when Crystal faces him almost curiously. **"Now why don't you help us out of these inferior confinements and we'll talk about your rank over our feast?"**

Hearing the 'feast' statement, the heroes whimper and back away even father. They look at Crystal and wait anxiously for her answer. For some reason, Crystal frowns at the Shadow Souls. She glares at them as she crosses her arms defiantly. **"Who are you to order me around?" **She demands. **"What sort of demons do you call yourselves anyway?"**

Completely baffled, Darkflame looks at Crystal with a look of disbelief. **"W-What? What do you mean? I thought that every newly formed Shadow Soul is supposed to listen to his or her leader willingly!"**

Darkrai is just as surprised as Darkflame is, but he isn't too worried about the matter. Some of Crystal's inner conscious is still lingering, so it won't be long until her demon side destroys it. **"**_**Enough of this foolishness. Do as I say! Now! Before I-"**_

He never finishes that threat. Crystal closes her eyes and they glow red when she reopens them. Two black lightning bolts hit the demon commanders and turn them into dust. The only things that prove that the demons have been on that spot are small strands of their hair lying on the ground.

"**You will do well to mind your place, fools," **Crystal growls. **"No one commands me."**

Crystal closes her eyes and summons another lightning bolt to destroy the hair. Darkflame and Darkrai are no more.

Crystal smirks, but then she frowns as she thinks to herself. **"My powers are not yet fully developed... but they will in time."**

The heroes stare in utter shock and fright at what has just happened. Chatot raises a shaky feather and points at Crystal. "Did you... Did you just see what... what she...?"

"Crystalline," Uxie murmurs in dismay. His friend is lost in eternal darkness and she has the capability of wiping out two Shadow Souls literally in the blink of an eye. Who knows what else Crystal might be able to do?

"This is nuts..." Pikachu says as he stares wide-eyed at Crystal.

Grovyle, Piplup, and Wigglytuff remain frozen as they gaze at the girl they love. Now she is a Shadow Soul. She is a dangerous foe that they must stop before she plans to destroy the world. Not even a stab to the stomach could compare to the emotional wounds that pierce through their broken hearts...

"**You're next," **Crystal sneers as she looks at the caged Shadow Souls. The demons whimper as they scoot as far away from Crystal into their cages as they could reach. They shiver when Crystal grasps the bars and leans in with a mocking grin on her face. **"Now you will know what it feels like to be about to die."**

Crystal closes her eyes and shoots large black bolts at the cages. All of the Shadow Souls disappear from sight. The heroes whimper in fear as they watch their friend kill so many Pokémon so mercilessly, even if they are Shadow Souls.

Crystal then looks at the heroes. The Pokémon freeze in response and their hearts begin to pound in anxiety. Crystal suddenly holds out her hand and the heroes shield themselves as they wait for some sort of a strike. But when nothing happens, they blink in surprise. They open their eyes and realize that Crystal has taken all the Time Bombs from their belts through telekinesis. Then Crystal uses her powers to fuse the tiny bombs into one large ball filled with nuclear power.

Crystal walks over to the nearby Dimensional Hole. She wordlessly throws the massive bomb inside the portal. A few moments later, the bomb explodes. Suddenly a heavy gust of wind blows through the portal. The heroes shield their eyes while Crystal watches on with an unreadable expression on her face. After the wind dies down, the portal shrinks until it disappears.

"**There," **Crystal claps her hands clean as she turns to face the Pokémon **"There are no more Shadow Souls except for me,"** She holds a dark smirk on her snout. **"So I shall begin my new army starting with you people."**

The heroes gulp and back away as Crystal advances towards them. She suddenly stops and her gaze turns puzzled and blank.

_'Piplup… Grovyle…'_

Grovyle and Piplup perk up at the voice. They look around and their friends peer at them in confusion or concern.

'_Brother… Grovyle… Please…'_

They immediately recognize the voice. "Crystal?" They ask aloud as they carefully look at the still black Grovyle. The other Pokémon give the two boys perplexed looks. Uxie stares at them for a moment before he realizes something.

"Telekinesis..." He murmurs softly. "Crystal still has her consciousness trapped inside that body. She must be calling out to Piplup and Grovyle mentally."

Several of the Pokémon nod and they watch the scene, waiting for something to happen.

"Crystal?" Grovyle asks again gently. He and Piplup drop their arms as they take a step forward. The Shadow Soul flinches, but she looks like she is having a mental conflict with herself.

Then the boys hear Crystal's voice groaning. _'I don't have much time before the venom overwhelms my bloodstream. I need you two to listen to me carefully… and promise me that you will do whatever I ask of you. My plan will save the world from this demon tyranny forever__.'_

They boys nod together, eager and ready to help Crystal in every way.

_'... There is a dagger on top of the ruin. The prophesy requires Piplup's blood to be poured into the gold bowls. Piplup, take the dagger and cut yourself briefly to fill the bowls at least a quarter full each. And then afterwards…' _Crystal pauses for a moment. Her body twitches as the battle for control continues inside her. Grovyle and Piplup wait patiently for Crystal to continue.

What she says next makes the boys' hearts drop.

_'Afterwards, stab the Jewel of Life while it remains close to my heart. Kill me and destroy the orb at the same time.'_

The boys shake their heads wildly. "No, Crystal!" Grovyle says pleadingly. The Pokémon hold concerned looks when they see his devastated look. "There must be another way!" Piplup adds as tears brim his eyes.

'_I'm afraid that there isn't. You have to do it otherwise my demon half will overwhelm the Jewel of Life. Whatever happens to me will happen to Piplup and Father as well! They will turn into Shadow Souls if there is even an ounce of venom in the orb. I can endure the orb's destruction and the stab long enough to ensure that Piplup and Father survive, but I cannot hold back the venom's effects! Please just do it!' _Crystal begs.

The boys hesitate and they glance at each other. Then they look back at Crystal. "Crys…" Grovyle whispers.

_'Just do it! I promise... That everything will be all right,' _Crystal insists. Her begging tone gets through to the boys. They hear no more from Crystal; she is gone now and is replaced by a furious bloodthirsty Shadow Soul.

"**Foolish girl! She thinks that love will stop me?" **She snarls. She turns to glare furiously at Grovyle and Piplup. **"I'LL MAKE SURE THAT HER LAST WISH NEVER HAPPENS!"** She roars as she bolts towards the Pokémon with bared fangs.

The heroes scream as they jump out of the way. Grovyle stays at his spot and softly murmurs, "Sorry for this, Crystal..." When Crystal comes close enough, Grovyle punches her in the stomach and slams her onto the ground, catching her off guard for a moment. Grovyle quickly grabs Piplup and runs toward the ruin.

Crystal gets up and realizes that the two Pokémon are heading towards the tombstone. **"NO!" **She roars. Black flames enshroud her body and her eyes glow bloody red. With a hideous snarl on her face, Crystal races towards the tombstone and pushes aside any Pokémon in her path.

Piplup and Grovyle rush towards the tombstone as fast as they could. Grovyle quickly dumps Crystal's blood from one bowl over the ruin and grabs the dagger.

Suddenly the boys hear Crystal's roar and know that they have very little time. "Hurry, Grovyle!" Piplup cries as he holds out his flippers to the lizard. Wasting no time, Grovyle takes the flippers and cuts the penguin's palms. The water Pokémon yelps as red blood seeps through his feathers. Grovyle places the dagger aside and holds the bleeding flippers over the golden bowls until a sufficient amount of blood fills up the bowls.

Suddenly time stops; even Crystal freezes at her spot. The heroes feel a massive earthquake and a bright flash blinds them for a moment. Soon everything turns silent. The heroes unshield their eyes and look up at the ruin. What they see makes their hearts stop.

Crystal is holding Piplup by the neck with one hand while the other hand prepares to strike him. Piplup is choking under her grasp. He claws at her wrist while his feet dangle in the air.

"**Farewell, Piplup," **Crystal sneers with a triumphant grin on her face. **"You will be with your dear sister and mother in the afterlife very soon."**

With horrified eyes, everyone watches as Crystal holds her hand up high and prepares to strike. But she stops in mid-swing. Time stops as Crystal slowly looks down and sees the dagger embedded through her chest and the Jewel of Life. Piplup sees this and is stricken by horror.

With a grimace on his face, Grovyle deepens the dagger into Crystal's chest. He closes his eyes tightly as he listens to Crystal groan in pain. Then Crystal drops Piplup subconsciously. The penguin scrambles up to his feet and rushes over to Grovyle. The reptile drops the dagger and he watches Crystal stumble as she clutches her wound.

"G-Grovyle..." Piplup says. He is more upset than shocked by what his friend has done to his sister. Grovyle says nothing as he clenches his trembling bloodied fists. Crystal continues to stumble until she falls over the ruin.

Once Crystal's body reaches to the ground, the Pokémon rush over as Grovyle and Piplup kneel over her. Crystal's black aura disappears as her skin starts to turn white. The shattered pieces of the Jewel of Life glow before they fade away, leaving no trace of their existence behind. Crystal's eyes are closed and blood seeps through her lips as she breaths raggedly.

Grovyle sits down and places Crystal onto his lap. He cradles her gently in his arms as he blames himself for putting his girlfriend through so much pain.

"G-Grovyle..." Dusknoir stammers. He looks upset and shocked as he looks down at his friend. "Why...?"

"Crystal told him to do it." Piplup says as he starts to cry. "She said that whatever happens to her will affect the orb, which will also affect me and Dad. She knows that the venom would transform us into Shadow Souls too. She has sacrificed herself to save us both." Piplup realizes that Crystal's theory must have been right. He doesn't feel any pain, but the emotional wound that is caused by his sister's slaughter plagues his heart.

The heroes don't say anything as they surround Grovyle, Piplup, and Crystal. The sound of thunder roars through the area, signaling that it would rain very soon. The heroes remain quiet as they lower their heads and begin to cry. The Pokémon hold each other for support while Piplup and Grovyle hug Crystal tightly against them.

Suddenly Crystal groans. The heroes snap their heads up and look at her. Crystal weakly opens her eyes to see everyone around her crying. She barely manages to smile at her friends.

"Crystal," Grovyle cries as he hugs her tightly. Crystal doesn't respond, but she winces as she places a hand on her chest. Grovyle's heart twists at seeing the wound that he has inflicted on her. Crystal suddenly closes her eyes and her body goes limp.

"Crystal?" Grovyle shakes his girlfriend gently as fear and grief crack his voice. "Cryssy, please wake up."

Crystal forces her eyes open and she looks up at Grovyle and Piplup. She smiles as she brings up her hands and cups their faces. She strokes their cheeks for a moment before she falls limp once more. Her arms fall down to her sides as she loses consciousness.

Suddenly Crystal begins to fade. Her body evaporates as white smoke forms in her place. The white waves slowly move away from Grovyle's arms and float up to the sky just barely above the heroes. Bewildered, the heroes stand up and walk closer to the smoky substance as it takes the form of a white Grovyle. Crystal looks just like a ghost due to her transparent form and glowing eyes. She holds her hands together as she looks down at the heroes with a sad smile on her face.

"Everyone," Crystal says in an echoing tone. "Please don't be sad. I'll love you all for eternity."

The Pokémon don't say anything as they gaze up at Crystal sadly. They know that this is the last time that they will ever see her again.

Crystal smiles once more. "We'll all be together again."

Without another word, Crystal closes her eyes as her body fades into oblivion. As soon as Crystal is gone, Grovyle falls down to his knees and he lets out an anguished cry. Team PokéPals walks over to him and pats his back comfortingly. The heroes hold each other as they finally let out their bottled tears. The Pokémon who have taken their loss the hardest are Wigglytuff, Magius, and Midnight. The three Pokémon hug each other for comfort as they let out their despair and loss through flowing tears and cries.

Piplup looks up at the space where Crystal has disappeared in. He knows that this is meant to happen and that things will return to normal, but it is saddening that he has lost his sister even though they have fulfilled their destiny together.

"**You and I have been given a great honor to know Crystalline, Gavin." **A familiar voice says. **"This is your destiny, my son."**

The Pokémon turn around to see Arceus standing nearby. His body also fades as a glowing orb takes his place. Then the glowing object floats upwards towards the sky and disappears amongst the faded stars.

Looking up at the sky with tear-stained eyes, Piplup murmurs, "Goodbye, Father."

With heavy hearts, the heroes continue to cry as the rain falls down on them. The weather seems to be reflecting the heroes' mood. The Pokémon then begin to gather up their items. Then the heroes start to return home so they can arrange a funeral for their lost friend, their wonderful girlfriend, their beloved daughter, their brave leader, and their supportive sister.

Piplup remains behind as he looks up at the sky. Grovyle is the last person to move since Celebi and Dusknoir have to help him walk through small steps. Piplup then turns to the ruin and looks at it. He holds a sad and thoughtful look as he walks over to the stairs. Then he closes his eyes and shakes his head as he turns around to catch up with his friends.

He is about to jump over the trench when he sees a shiny object nearby. Curious, Piplup waddles over and realizes that it is Crystal's bag filled with forgotten weapons and items. Piplup's heart sinks at this, but then he comes to the conclusion that Crystal would want someone to make use out of her items. He searches through the bag filled with jewels and rare items until he comes across the Azure Flute. Piplup immediately remembers the last time the shell has been used as he pulls it out of the bag. It must be very valuable to Crystal if she has taken it with her for the mission. Piplup greatly wishes that he would have known about the shell being in the bag; he could have saved Crystal with it.

Piplup wordlessly places the shell into his own bag. Then he picks up Crystal's large sack and hauls it over his shoulder as he jumps over the trench and catches up with his allies. The heroes' hearts sink at the thought of never seeing Crystalline again. But they know one thing; Crystal is now in a better place with her mother. And when the time comes, everyone will be with her as well. Crystal is right; they will see each other again. But not yet. _Not yet…_


	13. Chapter 13: Epilogue Part One

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 13: Epilogue Part One**

The whole town is gathering around the beach, sadly preparing for Crystal's funeral. Since it is in the brink of night, it is around ten o'clock and it is pitch black outside. Not even the moon is out since it is covered by the dark clouds, so the only sources of light are the lit torches and candles in the beach. The torches lead to the center of the beach and they make a path heading to the ocean. The Pokémon citizens stay behind the lit torches and hold up lit candles as they lower their heads in remorse.

The Guildmembers, Team PokéPals, and Team Gothica walk to the funeral with tears in their eyes. As they walk down the stairs from the Guild, they hold different objects in their hands closely. Then the heroes are suddenly stopped by a familiar snotty team that looks noticeably tired.

"We're sorry about Crystalline's death," Skunktank says. His eyes are dimmed and Piplup notices that he does look truly sorry. But sadly, none of the other Pokémon sees this.

"Don't say s**t to us, you f**king bastard!" Magius snarls. She clenches her fists angrily as she storms over with an angry Midnight by her side. Both of the girls look like they want to beat the crap out of the skunk, but Piplup doesn't want to cause any more mischief tonight, especially during his sister's funeral.

"Wait." He holds out a flipper to stop the girls. They give him a look of disbelief and he says, "I wanna talk to these guys alone. Just for a second."

The heroes don't look very convinced, but they oblige to his request. They shoot dirty looks at Team Meanies and give the three Pokémon cold shoulders as they move on. Only Piplup remains behind with the team.

Piplup doesn't look too thrilled for being alone with the Pokémon. He sighs as he crosses his arms and looks up at the men tiredly. "What do you guys want?" He mutters grumpily. "I am not in the mood to take any more crap from-"

"I just wanna say sorry," Skunktank snaps. He glares at Piplup. "Geez, you make it sound like that you actually think that I'm a heartless guy for Arceus' sake!"

Piplup makes a face. "Um, I kinda do..."

"Hmph. One would think about why I purposely dropped that stupid rock for you guys in that cavern..."

"What?"

"Never mind..."

The boys are silent again before Skunktank gets right to the point. "All I'm saying is that the boys and I are really sorry for your loss. We have heard that Crystal is your sister through some funny circumstances. But never mind that. Me and the boys have been thinking and well... we honestly wanna apologize for all of the things that we have done to you. And we have come to the funeral to give our last regards for Crystal as well."

Piplup blinks. He is surprised by the nice words coming out of the skunk's mouth. But Skunktank and his team do look serious about it. "Why are you so nice all of a sudden?" Piplup asks suspiciously.

"Just after we fought that girl the other day," Skunktank explains. "I haven't realized that I was trying to kill my own savior." Piplup's eyes widen at this. Skunktank smirks. "Yeah, it's true. When I was a wee lad, I was trapped in a cave for a long time while my friends left to find some help. Then guess who saves me from starving to death? Crystalline. She was a small Treecko back then. She took me to her secret base and let me stay until I was completely healed up. After I left, I haven't seen her since then. I tried to find her, but I haven't seen her again until I poisoned Grovyle a couple of days ago. That is why I freaked out when I saw Crystal; I have never seen a white Grovyle with psychic powers. And that is when I realized that it is the same girl that has saved my life all those years ago."

Piplup has no idea of what to say to this irony, but now he understands why Skunktank has a change of heart. He wants to return the favor to Crystal by saying goodbye and getting into good terms with Piplup.

Piplup then holds out a flipper and smiles. "I appreciate that. Thank you, guys."

Skunktank also smiles and he grasps Piplup's flipper in a firm handshake.

"Piplup! We are about to start the funeral!" Chimchar rushes up to his best friend. He holds a suspicious look when he sees the skunk and penguin's joined hands. The two Pokémon separate and nod to each other before they head down to the beach side by side. Chimchar gives Piplup a questioning look as he waits for an explanation.

Piplup simply says, "Let's just say that from now on Team Meanies is our ally."

Chimchar doesn't say anything. It isn't worth arguing over since the funeral is about to begin anyway. As soon as the Pokémon reach to the beach, Piplup and Team Meanies nod to each other before they go their separate ways. Skunktank and his team take their places in the crowd and grab candles as they lower their heads respectfully. Piplup looks around the crowd and is surprised by how many Pokémon are present. There are even Pokémon that he hasn't seen for a while; Drowzee, Lapras, Azuril, Marill, the Luxray, the Sableye, the Police Squad, and even all the Legendaries are here!

Piplup silently walks over to his friends. He picks up his bag as the chorus of Clefairy begins to sing. As the pink Pokémon sing, several Pokémon place some flowers or personal items that once belong to Crystal onto a raft that has a picture of Crystal attached to the mast. Crystal's picture is smiling at the heroes even though the Pokémon feel anything but happy. Piplup doesn't have anything to place onto Crystal's grave; the weapons and items that are in her bag will not be acceptable. And as for the Azure Flute, Piplup wants to keep it for eternity as a reminder of his loving sister.

"Crystalline, our dear friend, leader, girlfriend, sister, and daughter," Chatot begins the funeral with his wings folded together. "It is unfortunate that you have been taken from us even though your destiny is fulfilled. To us, you are family so it is reasonable that we speak to you now as we bless you our final farewell."

The heroes sniffle and wipe away tears from their eyes. Many Pokémon hold each other for support. Magius leans against Dusknoir as he wraps a large arm around her waist comfortingly. Azelf looks at Mesprit's sad face and he gently takes her paw with his own. Mesprit smiles at him as their fingers intertwine. Then the Legendaries look back at Chatot as he carries on with his speech.

"So may Arceus go with you as you join your mother in the afterlife," Chatot sighs sadly as he looks at Crystal's picture. Even though he doesn't seem to get along with the free-spirited girl, Chatot does care for Crystal as an uncle would for his niece. "And if it is in fate's favor, we will join you there when our time comes. But for now, your memory will be cherished into our hearts forever. Amen."

"Amen." Everyone echoes. Chatot then holds out a wing and asks, "Does anyone else have something to say to Crystal before we say goodbye?"

Several of the Pokémon raise their hands. Soon the heroes speak out their terms to Crystal; they comment on how she has been a good friend for everyone and how she has always been there for her friends. When the Pokémon finish their speeches, Chatot then asks, "Does anyone have a song that they would like to play in honor of Crystal's memory?" He notices Piplup holding the Azure Flute. "Piplup?"

All eyes turn to look at the penguin. Piplup looks back at the Pokémon before he shyly shakes his head. "I... I don't know how to play any song with this flute..." He admits shamefully. Chatot shakes his head and he flies over to pat the penguin on the back. "It doesn't matter. Just play a random melody and it will be good enough." Chatot insists.

"Please, Piplup?" Midnight and Magius plead tearfully. Piplup looks at the girls for a moment. He could not say no to his sister's best friends, especially after seeing their broken stares. Piplup sighs as he shrugs. "I'll do my best."

Piplup waddles over to the raft and looks at Crystal's portrait. He glances at the smiling Pokémon behind him before he faces back to the picture. Then he holds up the flute and positions the mouthpiece over his beak. He closes his eyes as he plays a few soft tunes. After adjusting to playing with the ocarina, Piplup plays a beautiful melody that makes the heroes utterly silent as they cry.

The gentle melody flows through the cold evening air, letting all the Pokémon nearby hear its beautiful melodic flow.

:)(:

Everything is too bright. As a small orb of light floats up, it close its eyes to try to avoid going blind. Then it realizes that its surroundings are turning dark as a white lizard with black limbs and blades takes its place. The Grovyle opens her gold eyes and looks around in confusion.

'_Where am I?' _She thinks to herself. She looks around and sees nothing but eternal light; she cannot determine which angle is the floor, the wall, or the ceiling. Then she realizes that she is floating in midair. She holds her arms out and wonders if she is dead or alive. She touches her arms and realizes that they are transparent.

"**Well done, Crystalline," **A woman's voice echoes. The unexpected tone startles the Grovyle out of her musings and she looks around for the source. She thought that she is the only person in the area. Somehow, the voice sounds so… familiar and comforting. **"I have always known that you and your brother could do it."**

Since she has no idea of what to do in her current position, Crystal asks timidly, "Who... Who are you? What do you want from me?"

The owner of the voice chuckles. Her tone sounds so heavenly Crystal wonders if she is indeed in heaven. **"Why, is it a crime to speak with my own daughter?"**

Crystal freezes and her eyes widen as she looks around frantically. "You're... My mother?... So Dad _was_ telling the truth after all..."

Her mother chuckles again. **"It seems that Arceus has erased all of your memories of our time together. He has told you horrible lies regarding your true origin."**

Crystal frowns in confusion.

"**It appears that I am right. So I shall be the one to explain everything to you, my dear child."**

And so, Blackfire tells the entire truth to Crystal. She starts from Crystal's birth to her dying wish promised by Arceus. She also adds how she has witnessed and heard of what has happened to Crystal during her stay in the afterlife. As she finishes the story, Crystal now understands everything completely. So many things make much more sense now! But one thing plagues Crystal's curiosity even more.

"Could I see what my mother looks like?"

The feminine voice chuckles again and Crystal watches a black shadow forming in front of her. It takes the form of a black female version of Arceus. She has a silver horn on her forehead instead of a gold arc. Her snowy white face glows as her lavender eyes look down at Crystal. Crystal is stunned by the glamorous being's graceful beauty and the powerful aura illuminating from her body.

"**Now, are you wondering about what I mean by my promise to your father? The one regarding that everything would be all right?" **Blackfire asks. Crystal nods after she shakes her stupor away. **"Let me show you something."**

Soon the girls turn to the side as a portal forms in front of them. The inner walls change shape and show a picture of a familiar beach where several Pokémon holding candles are standing behind lit torches. They are watching a small blue penguin playing a beautiful melody with a small musical instrument.

"Guys!" Crystal cries out as she steps forward. She looks at her friends' faces and is disheartened by their tear-stained faces and broken looks.

"**Your friends and family are heartbroken, Crystalline," **Blackfire says as she looks at the scene with sad eyes. "**Your death has changed them drastically. Everyone who has ever known you is down there mourning over your grave with sorrowed hearts."**

Crystal says nothing as she looks down at her friends with glossy eyes.

"**... However, you can change that. You can return to the land of the living by choice."**

Crystal's heart stops beating after she hears that. Hoping that her mother isn't joking, Crystal looks up at her mother with wide hopeful eyes. "I... Can?" She murmurs uncertainly.

Blackfire smiles. **"Yes, daughter. You can. But you have two choices; you can return while Piplup plays the Melody of Fate, or you can stay here in the afterlife with me and rule over all the dead by my side."**

"Wait, so you're basically the queen of the dead?" Crystal blinks in confusion. She has never heard that part before. It explains why Blackfire was calm while she was dying; she knew that she is gonna return to her post as the guardian of the afterlife.

"**Yes, child, but time is short. You must choose now; the song is at its end!"**

Crystal thinks about her decision very hard. She does want to know more about the afterlife and to spend more time with her mother, but deep in her heart she knows what she really wants; a family. The one that she has had all along is on Earth grieving over her. She doesn't want her friends so sad because of her death and now she has the chance to return home. And besides, the prophesy is fulfilled so Crystal is free to do whatever she wants without any restrictions.

Seeing Crystal's hesitating look, Blackfire smiles widely as she nods. **"I understand, daughter. Your friends on Earth need you more than I do. Your place is with your friends, so promise me that you will live your life to its fullest and be happy. One day I will see you again, I promise."**

Crystal smiles through her tears. She nods and walks up to her mother to hug her snout. She whispers, "I will, Mom. And thank you so much for everything."

Blackfire nods and then gestures to the portal. Crystal nods in understanding. The lizard moves toward the portal and stops right in front of it. She looks over her shoulder at her mother one last time. Then after giving her mother a smile, Crystal walks through the portal and disappears with a bright flash of light.

:)(:

Piplup finishes playing the melody and falls down to his knees. Even though the melody is made up, Piplup could have sworn that he has heard it from somewhere. Regardless, it is very good and the crowd applauds. Grovyle and Chimchar walk over to the penguin and help him up to his feet.

Suddenly, a bright orb appears from behind the crowd. Only Celebi, Midnight, and Magius notice this. With startled eyes, they watch tiny bubbles flow around the large orb. Suddenly the glowing ball starts to take the shape of a large reptilian being. When the glow fades, a familiar white lizard looks around with confused eyes. Utterly shocked, the girls start jumping up and down in a crazy spasm and point at the lizard. Their unusual behavior makes the Pokémon turn to what they are pointing at with confused eyes. But as soon as the heroes see Crystal, their eyes widen.

Grovyle and Piplup freeze in their spots as they watch the white Grovyle look at them with a smile on her face. Crystal slowly walks over to them as the crowd parts like tidal waves. Everyone is looking at Crystal in shock, bewilderment, and awe. Grovyle, Piplup, and their closer allies walk towards Crystal subconsciously. Midnight and Magius let out girlish shrieks as they run up to Crystal and tackle her to the ground. Overwhelmed by joy of seeing Crystal alive again, they cry as they hug Crystal tightly. Somewhat stunned, Crystal merely smiles as she pets her best friends' backs comfortingly. Then Crystal stands up and walks over to Grovyle and Piplup. The boys just stare at her, hardly believing their eyes.

As soon as she is within reach, Grovyle reaches out to Crystal and runs a hand through her head blade. Crystal smiles as he fingers her leaf carefully. Then Grovyle brings the hand down to Crystal's neck and caresses her cheek. He is stunned by feeling warmth radiating through the skin as Crystal leans into his touch. Crystal covers Grovyle's hand with her own as she smiles up at him. Piplup looks at his sister, wondering if he is looking at a ghost or at the real person. It is obvious that he is debating if he is hallucinating or not.

Grovyle looks at Crystal's eyes deeply as if he is trying to find the truth in them. He sees a familiar glint that only his girlfriend's eyes have before she died. Then Grovyle smiles widely. He shouts out in pure joy as he holds Crystal and spins her around. The lizards laugh happily and ecstatically as they are once again reunited.

The Pokémon are convinced that Crystal is alive after they see Grovyle's happiness. They cheer and cry as they circle around the couple. Piplup hugs his sister and cries on her stomach. Crystal holds her brother and kisses his forehead softly as she murmurs words of encouragement and comfort in an attempt to calm him down.

Grovyle smiles when he realizes that somehow fate is in Crystal's favor. Somehow, Crystal is pardoned for going into the afterlife. She is free from any restrictions of what to do with her new life. Crystal also smiles when she realizes this. She knows that in her new life, she could do anything she wants with whomever she wants.

And as the lizards look at each other lovingly, they both know exactly what they want. It is going to start in the Guild with their friends, family, and each other.

They close their eyes and their lips meet in a passionate kiss. They seal this promise with their new destiny forever.

:)(:

_Unless_

_By chance of faith in your daughter,_

_Should she find in her destiny_

_Love for another,_

_She saves not just your son,_

_But the mother as well,_

_Then this prophesy will be fulfilled_

_And all will live swell._


	14. Chapter 14: Epilogue Part Two

**Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 4: Explorers of Space**

**Chapter 14: Epilogue Part Two**

_FIFTEEN YEARS LATER..._

A lone silhouette walks through the beach. It stops to look at the beautiful sunset. In closer inspection, the being is a black and white female Sceptile. She glows as bright as snow under the sunlight. She closes her gold eyes in relaxation as she feels the summer breeze that she has loved for over twenty years.

She sighs as she thinks about what has happened over fifteen years ago. Ever since she has returned to Earth, things have changed for the better. There is very rarely any sort of trouble in the world so everyone is at peace. Due to her technology improvement, the Guild has managed to transform Treasure Town into a famous city! The lizard looks over the cliff and sees several buildings having lights on since it is close to evening. Some floating aircrafts zoom through the skies, but the lizard pays no heed to them as she resumes thinking.

Not only has everything improved, her life has changed drastically. Even though she has felt so free, she has been feeling different now that the world knows about her true heritage. Pokémon everywhere would stare or gossip about her and Gavin, but Crystal pays no heed to them since she has her friends to support her. But another event has come that requires specifically her and Gavin's help. Fortunately, her mother has created a team to lead them both to their destination, but Crystal and Gavin face complications emotionally involving their friends. Crystal was struggling on her love for Grovyle and her new friendship with the team's leader. The complications increase when her ex-fiancé mysteriously returns, and Crystal discovers that all of his crimes have been done unwillingly and that he still loves her. So Crystal had a love complication between three guys while Gavin struggles on his increasingly drastic nightmares. But Crystal is left stricken by the loss of her two other crushes when the mission is completed. When they return home, the heroes have created a memorial in honor of their friends' memories and of their honorable duties. Even though her loss is painful, Crystal remembers her old love and close friend up to this day.

Gavin and his best friend have finally evolved today, so the heroes are preparing for a celebration back in the base. The Guild is the same as ever; the members have matured a little and most of them have reached to their final evolutions as well. Wigglytuff and Chatot have passed on, so Crystal is chosen to lead the Guild. Since her new promotion, Crystal has done an outstanding job as a Guild Master. If it wasn't for her friends and family's support, Crystal probably wouldn't have gotten this far in her job. The only things that probably haven't changed are the Legendaries. The powerful Pokémon are still good friends to Crystal and they even stop by to chat occasionally…

Yup, many things have changed for the better…

"MOMMY!"

Startled, the female Sceptile turns to the side. Before she could react, she is tackled down by three small giggling beings. After she comes to her senses, Crystal looks down at the three Treecko grinning up at her as they hug her stomach.

The first Treecko looks around ten years old. He has normal green skin with dark green thunder patterns on his limbs and above his eyebrows. He holds the same gold eyes that his mother has. The second Treecko looks around eight years old and he has the same green skin with red flame patterns on his limbs. He also holds gold eyes shining brightly at the Sceptile. The last Treecko is definitely the Sceptile's daughter. She has pure snow-white skin and her tail and stomach are pitch black. But unlike her siblings, the girl has lavender eyes as she gazes happily up at her mother.

The Sceptile chuckles as she hugs her children lovingly. "Hey, kids." She smiles as she stands up and puts the Treecko down. She brushes sand off her body before she looks down at her kids. "What are you doing out here?"

"We wanted to see you!" The thunder-marked Treecko says naturally. The mother smiles and she ruffles his head playfully. "I'm happy to see you too, Zorro."

Zorro beams up at his mother. His happy grin reminds Crystal so much of her brother. She chuckles and nuzzles his shout affectionately.

"Daddy and Uncle Gavin also wanna know where you are," The flame-marked Treecko says. "So we have come down here to find you!"

Crystal chuckles again. "Yes, I bet they do, Blaze. After all, I wouldn't miss your uncle's evolution party for the world!" Crystal means it too. She has heard of Gavin and Chimchar's problem concerning their inability to evolve for whatever reason. Then Crystal finds out later that it is actually because of the prophesy that she and Gavin had to accomplish together that her brother couldn't evolve. But once the mission is out of the way, Gavin is free to evolve whenever he wants to. But the penguin decides to wait a little longer since he could learn better moves faster. He wants to be at his best before he turns large and lazy. Crystal smiles at her brother's jokes; they never get old.

"Mama!" The white Treecko calls. Her tiny voice is high and shrill as she looks up at her mother with large lavender eyes. "I got you a fwower!" She innocently mispronounces the 'l' as she holds up a tiny lily to her mother. Crystal smiles as she takes the lily and sniffs at it. Then she hugs her daughter lovingly. "It's lovely. Thank you, Lavender."

Lavender giggles as she hugs her mother back.

"Ready, are you?" A deep voice says. The family looks up and sees a tall Sceptile standing nearby with crossed arms. He looks at the lizards with a kind smile on his face.

Crystal smiles and stands up while holding her children in her arms. She walks up to the larger lizard. "Hello, Sceptile. Missing me, were you?" She teases. Sceptile wraps his arms around Crystal's waist and he pulls her close to his chest. "You have no idea, Crystalline." He whispers.

Sceptile places a hand on Crystal's cheek. Then he slowly pulls her into a passionate kiss. The boys 'ew' together and stick their tongues out while Lavender clasps her hands and coos. Apparently, she is the only one who thinks that it is adorable.

Then the kiss breaks and the lizards smile at each other. "Gavin is waiting for us, Hon. We better get going." Sceptile says.

Crystal nods and smiles. Sceptile wraps an arm around Crystal and leads her out of the beach towards the stairs. As they walk together, Crystal thinks to herself as she looks at her family. She never thought that she would need love while growing up, but she is happy to have it now that she understands the true purpose of life. She nuzzles against her mate lovingly, earning a kiss on the head from him. Sceptile has always been by Crystal's side ever since they have met years ago as Grovyle. After her resurrection, Sceptile has never left Crystal's side since then. But he has grown slightly suspicious of her relationship with a new team's leader. But he easily accepts Crystal's feelings for her close friend and he comforts Crystal in every way possible after her old lover and close friend are killed. Then Sceptile proposes again and Crystal happily accepts. A few days later, they marry happily. As the years go by, the lizards retire exploring so they could start a family. Then they bear three beautiful children. Crystal wants to name her sons after her close friends, and after some hesitation, Sceptile agrees. Then the lizards agree to name their youngest daughter after her eye color obviously inherited from her grandmother. Gavin is ecstatic by being an uncle. Dusknoir, Celebi, Midnight, and Magius are overjoyed by being nominated as the best man and mains of honor during the wedding. They are even more happy by being chosen to be the baby lizards' guardians.

Crystal realizes that neither her mother nor her father have contacted her since her wedding. But she doesn't mind; in her heart, she knows that they are watching her and Gavin living out their lives happily.

"Crystal! Sceptile!" A male voice calls out to the lizards as soon as they are up to the path intersection. The Sceptile look up to see a large Empoleon waddling down the stairs to greet them. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who he is thanks to the familiar pokedotted bow he is wearing.

He is followed by an Infernape with a white pokedotted bandana around his neck. Near the ape are a Raichu with a green bandana and a Lucario wearing a red bandana. An older Dusknoir with an older Magius follow holding ten-year-old Misdreavus and Duskull twins in their arms. An older trimmed shiny Absol comes down the stairs with a pink Celebi, a Chimecho, a Sunflora, an Exploud, an older Croagunk, a Bibarel, an older Corphish, and two Dugtrio.

Crystal and Sceptile smile and walk over to give the large penguin a hug. "Hey, Empoleon." Crystal greets her brother. "Excited for the party?"

"You bet I am!" He grins. His tone is much deeper now that he is older. "I have been waiting so long for this moment!"

Crystal smiles at him again.

"Uncle!" Lavender calls out to the Empoleon. She reaches out for him and clasps her hands multiple times. Gavin chuckles and holds his flippers out. Crystal lets her daughter jump into her uncle's arms. Gavin then starts to tickle the Treecko, making Lavender giggle as he swings her around playfully.

"Hey, Cryssy," Magius greets Crystal. She and Dusknoir float around the Empoleon to talk to the lizard. Magius smiles as she looks at the Treecko children. "Hey, kiddos."

"Hi, Miss Magius!" The boys wave cheerfully. Magius chuckles at the irony of Mesprit's old joke from years ago. She doesn't mind being called that now that she has matured much more.

"Mama! I wanna go play!" The ten-year-old Duskull whines as he squirms in his mother's arms. The Misdreavus also squirms in her father's arms. "Me too!" She cries out.

Dusknoir chuckles and shakes his head at his children. Then he looks at Crystal. "Crystal, would it be all right if...?"

Crystal simply nods as she sets her sons down onto the ground. She murmurs, "You two and your sister can go play with Shadow and Isabella in the base. Be careful not to break anything, though."

"We will, Mom." The boys nod. Then they begin to run after the free ghost children and they laugh as they all run up the stairs. Lavender squirms in her uncle's arms and Empoleon smiles as he gently sets her down onto the ground. After Lavender rushes up the stairs, the children disappear into the Guild.

"They're just like their mother," Crystal jokes as she smirks at Magius. "They're stubborn about what they want and they'll go at it all night long if they need to."

Magius huffs and pouts. She pokes at the Sceptile's chest. "Funny. It's the same thing with your kids; they cheat by flying around just to avoid getting tagged on!"

Crystal thinks about that and then smiles in amusement. "Hmm... Touché." That is probably Crystal's fault. After the Treecko children are born, Crystal and Sceptile discover that they have inherited some of Crystal's unusual psychic abilities. Because of the fear of the children losing control one day, Crystal teaches her children about how to use their abilities right. But it doesn't stop the boys from cheating on easy games such as tag or hide-and-seek. But then again, Shadow and Isabella could turn invisible and levitate, so it doesn't really matter…

"So you ready to head down to the party?" The Exploud asks. He holds Sunflora's hand and he smiles at her when she blushes in response.

"Yup." Crystal nods as she laces her fingers around her mate's fingers.

"We better get going then," Infernape says. "The citizens are getting impatient back in the base."

The heroes nod in acknowledgement. Then they all walk up the stairs and head towards the Guild. Before they go down the ladder, Raichu passes around party hats for everyone to wear. The heroes laugh as they put on their hats and climb down the ladder one at a time. The last Pokémon entering are Empoleon, Sceptile, Lucario, and Crystal. As the three men are about to enter, Crystal remains outside as she looks back at the sunset.

Lucario looks at Crystal over his shoulder and asks, "Crystal? Are you coming?" His voice sounds a lot deeper; it almost sounds rough but it is gentle at the same time. Sceptile and Empoleon also look back at Crystal and are instantly worried about if something is bothering her.

Crystal looks back at the boys and gives them a reassuring smile. "Yes. I'll be right there." When they don't move, Crystal adds, "I just wanna spend a little more time to myself. Today has been... Rather busy and tiring. I just need some alone time, that's all." This is true; Crystal has been so occupied by making arrangements for the party that she didn't have the time to be alone for a second.

This seems to convince the boys. They nod in understanding. Sceptile walks over to Crystal and holds her upper arms. "OK, if you say so. Just come on in and we'll start the party right away." He kisses her forehead softly. Crystal smiles as Sceptile turns around and leads the Pokémon inside to give her some privacy.

Crystal sighs in relief and turns to look at the sunset for a few moments. After some time, Crystal is satisfied by quietly thinking more about her memories. She turns to head to the ladder when she suddenly feels the wind blowing against her skin. Crystal stops walking and frowns when she realizes that this isn't any normal wind. It is usually a sign that she gets when she is about to receive a mental call from her father. But the only time that he would ever called her is if there is trouble, and he hasn't contacted her since she was a Grovyle several years ago. So what could be wrong this time?

Crystal sighs irritably and looks up at the sky. She wonders aloud about what her father wants this time. "Now what?"

"**Only a blessed farewell, daughter,"** Two voices say together. Startled, Crystal turns around and sees her mother and father floating in midair above the stairs. They are looking down at Crystal with small smiles.

Shocked, Crystal stammers, "You're both...?"

The qilinlike Pokémon nod silently. Then they throw their heads back and let out graceful howls. The wind blows through their bodies and the Legendaries fade away as their roars echo through the valley.

Crystal stares at the space where she had just seen her parents. Then she murmurs, "Well, goodbye to you too, Mom and Dad."

Crystal looks up at the sky and notices the brightest star flickering as twilight overshadows the land.

"Mama...?"

Crystal blinks before she turns around and sees Lavender looking at her with a shocked expression on her face. Crystal walks up to her daughter and picks her up.

"What is it, Sweetie...?" Crystal asks, vaguely wondering how much her daughter has witnessed.

"Were those... Gramma and Granpa?" Lavender innocently mispronounces her words again. At night, Crystal and Sceptile would always tell their children stories about their adventures together, including how they have met each other. The children have also been told about Crystal's life, so they know that they are the grandchildren of the Legendary Gods of all Pokémon. They have taken this fact very well and they promise to keep quiet about it even though other Pokémon already know about their heritage. The kids are good and they never brag about being more powerful than other Pokémon. They are Crystal and Sceptile's children through and through.

Lavender has always been told that she has inherited her grandmother's eyes. Because of this, the white Treecko is very curious about Blackfire. She often asks her mother about what Blackfire is like since Crystal is the only person that has actually met Blackfire personally. Crystal has kept her encounter with her mother a secret until a month after her resurrection.

Crystal smiles and nods to her daughter. "It is, Sweetie."

"Will we see them again?" Lavender asks hopefully as she looks at her mother with large eyes.

Crystal pauses and wonders if this is a possibility. Then Crystal remembers the promise made by her mother on the day that she has been given a chance to return to the living. Crystal smiles. Blackfire promised that when everyone's time to go to the afterlife comes, everyone would be together again. Heck, Wigglytuff, Chatot, and even Crystal's two closest friends are up there waiting for her. It has probably taken all of Blackfire's power to come down to Earth to see Crystal again.

Crystal smiles again as she hugs her daughter tightly. She murmurs softly, "Yes. We will see them again, Lavender. One day, we will all be together again. I promise."

The evening star glitters brightly in response.


End file.
